


First Day

by 0Melting_Angels0



Series: Love in Literature [6]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Action & Romance, Adorable Connor, Attempt at Humor, Awkward Crush, Awkward Romance, Background Case, Boys In Love, Case Fic, Connor Deserves Happiness, Dorks in Love, Eventual Romance, Falling In Love, First Crush, First Love, Friendship/Love, Good Parent Hank Anderson, Humor, Idiots in Love, Inappropriate Humor, It's For a Case, Love, M/M, Mentioned Hank Anderson, Mutual Pining, Mystery, Mystery Stories, Parent Hank Anderson, Partnership, Pining, Poor Connor, Protective Hank Anderson, Protective Parent Hank Anderson, Romance, Secret Crush, Sexual Humor, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, So Much Sexual Tension, Suspense, Suspicions, True Love, Unrequited Crush, Unresolved Emotional Tension, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Unresolved Tension, Worried Parent Hank Anderson, how will they live together for 2 weeks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-21 13:01:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 26,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20693951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0Melting_Angels0/pseuds/0Melting_Angels0
Summary: Connor and Gavin experience their first day on the Love in Literature course, and begin their investigation in full. What will they find?





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! I know it’s been a super long time since the last update, but I am hoping this chapter makes up for it. Should hopefully be a fairly lengthy chapter. In this we start to see some of the plot unfold, so that should be fun!
> 
> Before we start I want to thank everyone for all of the support thus far- you are all amazing! Let’s keep the fandom going!
> 
> Also, I used Google translate for the foreign languages that Connor speaks, as I have the memory and knowledge of a snail- so apologies if anything reads weird. 
> 
> Major shoutout to caffinateddetective over on Tumblr for reading the aforementioned foreign language section for me, and giving me feedback. And also for cheering me on- it means a lot! Also, shoutout to the following tumblr users:
> 
> glitchgamingirl  
narcophilia  
missnowhereteen  
dipdopofthedip  
brighteststarinthesky
> 
> There is a number of perspective switches, but those are clearly marked, and each is a fairly good length to avoid too much chaos or confusion.
> 
> I also realise the word count might be a bit intimidating, so I split this chapter into 3 parts. They are all essentially the same chapter, but given that the word count was nearly 30,000 words, I thought splitting it would make it easier to read/follow. 
> 
> So, to be clear, this Part has 3 chapters, because otherwise you'd have to scroll through 65 pages in one sitting.
> 
> AND THIS IS CHAPTER 1 OF THOSE 3 CHAPTERS!!!
> 
> One last thing: latent tech is a term for fingerprint analysts. And fair warning: I haven’t beta read this chapter. Like, at all. I'm serious. The idea of working through so many pages after spending so much time writing just…yeah. Not going to happen. I apologise in advance for any mistakes.
> 
> I’d like to dedicate this part to caffeinateddetective, who I mentioned a few paragraphs ago. They’re going through a tough time, and are always there for me and have helped me with LIL for as long as I can remember. So, my friend, this is for you.

* * *

**CONNOR P.O.V**

* * *

As the brightly dressed man offered his cheerful greeting, Connor took the opportunity to scan the room. He would, of course, have to wait until everyone had filed out after class to examine the hall thoroughly- but it didn’t hurt to get a head start. Especially as the lives of two young adults were potentially on the line.

With that in his mind, Connor focused intently on the room, and allowed his systems to perform a scan. His code ran through the lecture hall, picking up endless streams of data as it passed through the numerous technological devices connected to the room- data which Connor would be able to examine in further detail later. When there was no chance of himself and Gavin being disturbed. He knew it would take no more than a minute, two at most- but they had just entered the lecture hall, and so were the centre of everyone’s attention. A minute of Connor simply standing, and staring, would prove unnerving and unsettling, and would no doubt be an instant giveaway that he and the Detective were not who they claimed to be.

So, he moved quickly, doing a basic run-through of the data to get some sort of idea as to what they would be dealing with. Instantly noting the high level of security; hidden cameras, an almost absurdly perfect level of cleanliness, and clearly marked fire exits, Connor found some of his worries were alleviated. The interior of the school was as well protected as the exterior- just as the college’s President had described mere moments ago. For the moment, there wasn’t much for him to be concerned about.

Connor hoped that he would feel the same once he’d gone through the more detailed streams of encoded data. As he started pushing the uploading data to the back of his memory cores, to examine later, Connor found darker thoughts pushing their way into his system.

Whilst the heightened level of security was reassuring, to a degree, it also brought new concerns to light. With such extreme measures, a majority of which having seemingly been installed before the students’ disappearance, it meant either the students were more skilled than their profiles indicated, or someone with a highly specialized skillset had taken them.

Both scenarios were equally as dangerous, but Connor couldn’t focus too much on that in the present moment- he could sense the man on the podium was now focused on him. As was the rest of the room. Something Connor couldn’t let continue for too much longer.

Instantly snapping away from the highlighted surroundings of his inner software, and back into the warm colours of reality, Connor allowed a relaxed smile to form on his face. He had to appear at ease, no matter what concerns were swirling in the back of his mind. He’d done this many times before.

Before he could apologise for ‘zoning out’, as humans would describe it, Connor saw the man in the floral suit smile- and open his mouth to speak again.

“Quite the sight, isn’t it?” the man remarked, a sense of awe in his tone.

“It is.” Connor replied quickly, not wanting to prolong their time as the room’s primary focus.

“You’ll thoroughly enjoy your time on this course- you’ve made an excellent decision!” the man continued, speaking so enthusiastically it almost bordered on…unnerving.

“Sure we have.” Gavin spoke up, his tone indicating he was finding the man’s exuberant nature just as unnerving as Connor.

“Right.” The man on the podium cleared his throat, pausing for a moment before continuing. “Well, I should introduce myself, before I go off on a tangent. I’m Professor Englund, your lecturer for this course.”

“Connor.” Connor also introduced himself. “This is-“

“Gavin.” Gavin spoke simply, offering nothing more.

When the Professor shrugged off Gavin’s attitude and offered his hand, Connor shook it- accepting the peaceful gesture whilst ensuring a smile was still firmly fixed on his face. He wasn’t entirely certain that the man’s enthusiasm was his usual nature- but chose not to dwell on it.

For the time being.

There would be many more opportunities to examine Professor Englund’s behaviour in the days to come.

Finding himself smiling brighter when Gavin also shook the man’s hand, Connor took the opportunity to look around the room once more- again not spotting anything out of the ordinary.

His initial scans of the room hadn’t discovered anything out of the ordinary. It was simply an, albeit extravagantly luxurious, and secure, lecture hall. The classes’ crowds didn’t raise any alarms either, when Connor ran their faces through his software. There wasn’t a single criminal record to be found, which Connor quickly realised could be due, at least in part, to wealthy parents using said wealth to cover up their children’s mistakes.

Though he didn’t want to think so negatively, especially of people he hadn’t even met, Connor knew he had to at least entertain the thought of it- they couldn’t afford to leave any stone unturned in the investigation. Not with two lives potentially on the line.

As he scanned over the crowd once more, not wanting to leave anything to chance, he spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Laura, the student he and Gavin had met earlier- waving shyly at Connor with a warm smile on her face. Grateful for the one recognizable face, Connor returned the gesture.

Having one student they already knew, however little, could only be of use to the investigation- she would be able to introduce them to the others in the class. Which could potentially lead to information that, however indirectly, could benefit the case. Gaining the trust of those around them was essential to the success of it.

After looking back to professor Englund- just as the man was finishing talking to Gavin, Connor refocused.

They’d already been the centre of attention for far too long- Connor could ascertain as much by simply glancing at Gavin. The Detective looked extremely uncomfortable, something which Connor hadn’t expected from someone who projected an almost arrogant amount of confidence on a daily basis. He wanted to ask Gavin if he was alright, but knew his concerns would be better left until they were next alone- where the Detective would be most likely to share an honest answer.

“Is that alright with you?” Professor Englund spoke, drawing Connor’s attention once again.

“I-“ Connor started, wanting to ask the man to repeat himself.

“It’s fine.” Gavin interrupted, his tense body language betraying the steely expression on his face.

Before he could even question what the Professor had meant, by his question, Connor found Gavin walking past him- towards the rows of seats and the dozens of eyes upon them.

Quickly following after the Detective, he looked at the rows of students, and soon realised where Gavin was heading.

There were only two seats available in the crowded hall, in the centre, right at the back. Grateful that he and Gavin would be able to blend into the background, Connor followed the Detective.

Idly remembering to smile at Laura as they walked past her row, Connor picked up the pace- quickly catching up to Gavin. He didn’t want to lag behind. Every second they spent as the focus of the room was delaying the start of the course, and subsequently, delaying the case.

As they finally took their seats, with Connor sat on the edge of the row, and Gavin between him and a total stranger, Connor opened his mouth to talk to the Detective- before reluctantly closing it again. He just had to make it a few hours until the lecture broke for lunch. Which would be when he could finally discover what had Gavin so on edge.

“Now that our new students are settled in, I would like to begin properly.” Professor Englund spoke up, pulling Connor out of his thoughts. “As my regular students know, we concluded our study of Pride and Prejudice last week. I am thoroughly impressed with your work from the past month, and your efforts for our costumed ball.”

A series of smiles and hushed whispers rippled through the crowd of students, the reaction seeming to put Gavin more at ease- albeit only a little. His posture was still rigid, a telling giveaway to Connor that he was still less than comfortable. Anyone else would dismiss it as boredom, but Connor knew otherwise. Despite the Detective’s rough exterior, he had learned more in the past 24 hours than he ever thought possible- and so Connor could tell that there was more to Gavin’s reaction than simple boredom.

“We now start the next _chapter _in our course.” Professor Englund chuckled slightly at his own joke, eliciting some good-natured laughter from his students. “We shall be moving on to something quite different from Pride and Prejudice.”

Professor Englund held up a book, which immediately surprised Connor. In the new digital age, books were practically non-existent, having slowly faded out of relevance in the past half-decade. People preferred the convenience of having several hundred books stored on a slim tablet, rather than clumps of dusty books on aging shelves. The decision to retain the novel served to relieve a few of Connor’s own concerns. The fact that the Professor chose to remain down a more traditional path told of his nature- that he was perhaps as kindly as he appeared to be.

“Le Fantôme de l'Opéra.” Professor Englund spoke once more, taking Connor out of his inner rambling. “Perhaps better known as the timeless musical ‘The Phantom of the Opera’.”

A title that Connor was familiar with, having downloaded the world’s most famous novels after his deviation- wanting to know more of humanity’s literature history. He wanted to understand the human mind more, and in doing so, find himself- by discovering what people were able to create. It had proven beneficial, in more ways than one. And, as it turns out, useful to this particular case.

“It is quite a dark novel.” Professor Englund spoke. “As I said, a departure from the more idyllic words of Pride and Prejudice- but no less interesting. Has anyone read the novel before? It has several accurate translations readily available.”

Not a single hand went up, something which surprised Connor, considering they were on a literature course. One of the most famous novels of all time, with an equally famous musical attached to its name.

The lack of hands from the students gave Connor pause. He considered not raising his hand, as doing so would only make him stand out- but quickly convinced himself. Participating in the class would draw positive reactions from those around them, making it easier to blend in and immerse themselves in the case.

With those thoughts clinging to the back of his mind, Connor raised his right hand- instantly noticing Gavin sitting up to give the lecture his full attention. Something which had Connor find a smile creeping onto his face.

“Connor!” Professor Englund looked relieved. “I’m glad _someone _has read this masterpiece- I’m not alone!”

The good natured jab drew more laughter from the students- several turning back to smile at Connor, wordlessly welcoming him to the class. Their reactions solidified what Connor had theorized- showing an interest would only be helpful to the investigation.

“For the rest of you who _tragically _haven’t read Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, you are in for quite the journey.” Professor Englund sighed happily, holding the book to his chest. “Now, some would consider this book inappropriate for a romantically themed literature course. But I don’t. It certainly isn’t a typical love story, but that is what makes it so much more interesting than the other books typically assigned to this course.”

After allowing the students a few moments to process his words, the Professor spoke up again- pausing to smile at Connor before continuing. It was clear that he appreciated the interest in the novel.

“Now, as the novel is a mere 190 pages, we will progress through this section of the course much faster.” Professor Englund continued. “But that means it will only be two weeks until our usual costumed ball.”

Before he continued, Professor Englund stopped for a moment to think- looking up at Connor and Gavin before speaking, with a smile still fixed firmly on his face.

“Connor, Gavin, at the end of every book we read in this course, the College hosts a costumed ball.” Professor Englund explained. “Themed after the novel. There are no expenses spared- it is always a large event. Which is why we only ask that the students attend in their costumes.”

Nodding slightly, to indicate he was listening, Connor smiled- he could see that there was genuine joy and excitement in the Professor’s face. It was endearing. Connor hoped he wouldn’t find anything when he did a proper scan of him later- it was clear that the man enjoyed his job immensely.

“You may make the costumes yourselves, or purchase them from a tailor- but you are all well aware that personally made costumes lead to higher marks at the end of the course.” Professor Englund continued. “Whilst you would all normally have a month of the course to prepare, you will have only two weeks this time around.”

Several grumbles made their way through the crowds of students, indicating that they weren’t exactly looking forward to the effort of making or obtaining fully tailored costumes in just two weeks. It was quite a monumental task. Connor knew it wouldn’t be a problem for himself and Gavin, as he could simply download information on useful crafting techniques and upload them into his systems- but it was clear the two of them would be in the minority in that regard. He suspected many of the students were more focused on literature than the arts.

Which could benefit them- Connor could pass of the crafting skills as his own with relative ease, and offer support to the other students. Support which could potentially lead to engaging dialogue. The slightest sliver of information could turn the tide in their case.

“Now, as the majority of you know, we place the names of the main characters of the novels into a hat- along with many more blank slips.” Professor Englund carried on, pulling Connor out of his thoughts once more. “Whoever draws the names of a main character out of the hat wins the right to attend the costumed ball as that character. Everyone else is tragically relegated to side characters and costumes that fit the theme.”

More laughter rippled through the hall, causing Connor himself to smile. Glancing sideways at Gavin, Connor was surprised to see a hint of interest in the Detective’s eyes.

“Our main characters are Christine Daaé, The Vicomte Raoul de Chagny, and of course the titular character- the Phantom himself.” Professor Englund spoke up again, looking around the room before focusing on Connor and Gavin. “Connor, Gavin, as you are new to the class, perhaps you’d like to try your chances first?”

Looking to the side, Connor made eye contact with Gavin, who looked less than happy at the prospect of being the centre of attention once more. Just as he was about to open his mouth, to lower his voice and convince the Detective to follow him, Connor found himself stunned- when Gavin smiled slightly and tilted his head in the direction of the Professor. The stark change in his expression, from what it had been mere moments before, stunned Connor. But, much like his concern for the Detective, Connor had to relegate those thoughts to the back of his mind.

Swiftly standing up, he walked as casually as he could down the lecture hall’s steps, glancing back to ensure Gavin was following him, before continuing.

Within a few moments, they were standing in front of Professor Englund once more- who was eagerly holding a black top hat towards them. A hat full to the brim with dozens of paper slips. Once again surprised by the man’s aversion to technology, and subsequent eccentricity, Connor looked around. When Gavin nodded again, indicating for him to go first, Connor found himself smiling once more- but quickly refocused. He didn’t want to be at the forefront for longer than was necessary.

After a moment rummaging around, he pulled out one of the paper slips. After a quick glance around told him that everyone was waiting to see who he would become for the costumed ball, Connor unfolded the piece of paper- and read out the elaborately calligraphed words etched on the inside.

“The Vicomte Raoul de Chagny.” Connor read; voice clear enough to be heard around the room.

Whilst there were several unimpressed reactions from the other male students, they were in the minority, soon drowned out by applause from the rest of the room. Their enthusiasm was genuine, serving to alleviate a few of his initial concerns. Offering a smile in return, Connor stepped back, watching closely as Gavin walked up to take his turn. With all his focus on the Detective, Connor waited surprisingly anxiously to discover what Gavin’s role would be.

He could think of a character that would suit the Detective, more for the costume than anything else- but Connor decided to keep that to himself. For the moment.

He wasn’t left waiting for answers for too long- Gavin took far less time selecting a paper slip; likely because of his desire to step away from the limelight. Connor could somewhat understand, as having dozens of eyes fixated on them would unnerve even the most seasoned Detective. He certainly didn’t appreciate it himself, but he was, in a few ways, better equipped to deal with it. Connor had been on many hostage negotiations where he’d been one of the primary focused of people’s attention.

Snapping out of his thoughts just as he was stepping closer, to see what was written on the Detective’s slip of paper, Connor heard Gavin clear his throat. Pausing where he stood, he waited patiently for the other man to speak.

“Erik.” Gavin sounded less than pleased. “The Phantom.”

The reaction to Gavin’s assigned character was just as enthusiastic, if not more so, than the reaction to Connor’s. Connor supposed they were relieved not to be one of the main cast, as they would undoubtedly have the most difficult and more intricate of costumes. Or it could simply be for show, not wanting to start anything in front of the increasingly enthusiastic Professor. Connor hoped it was the former.

“Well, I have to say you two have some extraordinary luck there!” Professor Englund applauded, the rest of the students quickly following suit. “I look forward to seeing what you two come up with!”

As he and Gavin returned to their seats, Connor let his eyes drift over the crowd once more. There was, as he surmised from the earlier reaction, some disgruntled faces. Which Connor could understand- he and Gavin had only just enrolled on the course, and had received the opportunity to become the novel’s main characters. These expressions were in the minority, however, for most appeared to be warm and welcoming.

Whilst examining the crowd, Connor made eye contact with Laura, whose face seemed to flush slightly when she locked eyes with him. She waved, and smiled, so Connor decided to put that particular reaction to the back of his mind. He could think on why she had reacted that way later. He had more important things to focus on- the case of course, but also his partner. Who seemed to have returned to a silently agitated state the moment they sat back down.

Knowing the focus would be on the Professor, Connor turned to Gavin. He’d initially intended to wait until later to voice his concerns, but decided to just ask him then and there. He didn’t want the Detective to deal with whatever was bothering him on his own. It would be detrimental to the case, and their partnership- they had to be able to trust one another.

Which would have been impossible not two days prior.

“Gavin?” Connor still kept his voice low.

As the Detective turned to face him, Connor found himself smiling once more. The lack of hostility in the man’s gaze was a welcome change.

“What?” Gavin asked, a hint of aggression in his tone.

“You seem uncomfortable with our current situation.” Connor spoke. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Seemingly surprised by the genuine question, Gavin immediately seemed to relax, all hints of aggression and irritability fading in an instant.

“Just…” Gavin paused, considering his words. “Brings back a lot of memories.”

“Good or bad?” Connor asked gently, though he suspected it was the latter.

“Mostly bad.” Gavin answered simply.

“I…see” Connor was at a loss for words.

He wasn’t sure exactly how to respond- even with all his embedded protocols and files. Connor could simply look up the right way to answer, but no matter how hard he tried, it still wouldn’t seem right. He couldn’t say he understood, because he hadn’t experienced a fraction of what Gavin had. Connor had never been to college, and still had yet to experience many of the things his co-workers had. So, saying he understood would feel…empty.

After a moment of agonizing over what to say, Connor finally came up with what he hoped would be a respectable response.

“I can’t say I understand.” Connor began, making sure to keep his voice low. “But I’d like to try. If there is something on your mind, I’d like to help.”

The look of confusion on Gavin’s face quickly melted away, forming a new expression of…something like wonder or amazement. The Detective clearly hadn’t anticipated Connor’s response.

“You don’t have to.” Gavin spoke, after a minute or two of silence.

“I’m aware.” Connor responded. “But I’m here. If you’d like to talk.”

“Well…” Gavin cleared his throat, quickly glancing at their surroundings before continuing. “Maybe later. Coffee?”

“I’d like that.” Connor answered genuinely.

Noting how a smile quickly crept onto the Detective’s face, Connor found himself smiling once more. It was clear there was a lot bothering Gavin, but the man’s willingness to talk was a step in the right direction. Connor found it hard to believe that on the previous morning, they’d been at each other’s throats, the same way they had been for months on end.

“Ah, Laura!” the Professor’s booming voice startled Connor out of his thoughts.

He’d been so concerned for Gavin that he’d missed out on the majority of what was going on in the lecture hall. Judging by the lack of paper slips in the Professor’s hats, most of the students had tried their luck. Concerned that they may have missed something, even if it was only the smallest detail, Connor refocused on the task at hand. However hard it was, he took his mind away from thoughts of his conflicted partner.

Focusing intently, Connor observed Laura walking up to the Professor. As she did so, she turned back- smiling again when she saw Connor looking her way. Offering a small wave, and observing another puzzling reaction, Connor watched as she refocused on the Professor- and took a slip of paper out of the hat.

Absentmindedly noting Gavin leaning forward, Connor waited.

After a moment or two of rummaging through the remaining papers, Laura finally selected a slip- unfolding it quickly. As soon as the paper was unfolded, a warm smile spread across her face, and she turned to look at Connor.

With her eyes focused on him, she read out the words written on her slip.

“Christine Daaé.” Laura spoke clearly.

Noting how Gavin immediately tensed up, Connor found himself stunned. Christine was, after all, one of the primary focuses of the entire Phantom novel- but that wasn’t what concerned him. Christine’s true love interest was The Vicomte Raoul de Chagny, the very same character that Connor had been assigned. Knowing it had the possibility to create tension between himself and Gavin, as Laura would undoubtedly want to spend more time with them, Connor took a deep breath- something that was becoming a habit during times of uncertainty.

As Laura sat down, she turned to smile back at Connor, for a moment- before turning back and talking to one of the people sat beside her. Instantly relaxing the moment her eyes turned away, Connor leant back in his chair. When a quick look around the room confirmed that everyone else had taken their turn, he glanced sideways at Gavin, and found the Detective was now sat with a frustrated expression on his face. Before Connor could ask the man what was wrong, the Professor spoke up.

“Well!” Professor Englund placed the hat down, before clapping his hands together enthusiastically. “We have our main cast!”

A ripple of applause went through the room, drawing smiles on the faces of every single student in the lecture hall.

“I look forward to seeing what you all come up with!” the Professor continued. “You can choose your costumes from the novel’s descriptions, the musical, or the musical’s movie adaptation!”

After allowing everyone a moment to absorb the information, Professor Englund took out his copy of Le Fantôme de l'Opéra- idly running a few fingers down the book’s worn spine before continuing.

“We shall read through the Prologue, and a chapter or two this time around, and then discuss how it sets up the rest of the novel thereafter.” The Professor looked around the room, before carrying on. “Connor, Gavin, as the two of you are new to this course…perhaps one of you would care to read today’s material?”

Fighting back the urge to sigh in exasperation, Connor forced a smile onto his face. When a quick sideways look to his partner revealed that Gavin had tensed up further, if that were even possible, Connor turned back to face Professor Englund. They couldn’t refuse the man’s offer- it would make them stand out even more than reading to the class.

“I’ll do it.” Connor spoke up.

“Wonderful. Join me, Connor.” The Professor gestured enthusiastically.

Idly glancing back at Gavin, and seeing an expression of gratitude- as well as a new attentiveness- Connor made his way to the front of the room, where the Professor stood. Ensuring that a confident smile remained on his face the whole time, he quickly found his way up- taking the novel when Professor Englund offered it to him. Finding it opened to the Prologue, Connor turned to the Professor. When the enthusiastic man smiled, and indicated for him to start, Connor glanced around the room.

Once he was certain he held everyone’s attention, Connor cleared his throat, and began.

“In which the author of this singular work informs the reader how he acquired the certainty that the Opera Ghost really existed.” Connor read perfectly. “The Opera ghost really existed. He was not, as was long believed, a creature of the imagination of the artists, the superstition of the managers, or a product of the absurd and impressionable brains of the young ladies of the ballet, their mothers, the box-keepers, the cloak-room attendants or the concierge.”

After making his way through the first, and rather lengthy passage, Connor glanced upwards- to see how his reading was being received. Judging by the focused looks on the student’s faces, he was leaving a positive impression on the others in the course.

When his eyes locked with Gavin’s, and he spotted a fond smile on the man’s face, Connor fought to keep a blush away from his face. Connor told himself it was to prevent his skin from flushing blue in front of the group, and giving them away- but he knew he was lying to himself.

Ensuring that the Detective didn’t notice was of…equal importance.

They…had to focus on the case.

_Focus. _

Once he’d collected himself, Connor looked back down at the book, and continued.

“Yes, he existed in flesh and blood, although he assumed the complete appearance of a real phantom; that is to say, of a spectral shade.” Connor read clearly. “When I began to ransack the archives of the National Academy of Music, I was at once struck by the surprising coincidences between the phenomena ascribed to the ghost, and the most extraordinary and fantastic tragedy that ever excited the Paris upper classes…”

* * *

As he began reading a new section of the text, Connor allowed himself to become fully immersed in the role he'd been given- finding that the awed silence from the rest of the room bolstered his confidence. 

The smile that would break out on Gavin's face whenever Connor looked up, and they locked eyes, was...also a contributing factor to his newfound enthusiasm.

“Meanwhile, Christine Daaé uttered a deep sigh, which was answered by a groan. She turned her head, saw Raoul and started. She looked at the doctor, on whom she bestowed a smile, then at her maid, then at Raoul again-“ Connor continued.

“Just a moment, Connor!” Professor Englund interjected.

“Did I read the passage incorrectly?” Connor enquired.

“No, no- quite the opposite! You’re a fantastic speaker.” The Professor answered quickly. “I just wanted to speak, as we are at a pivotal point in the novel. This is where Christine Daaé and the Vicomte meet in person, for the first time in many years.”

“Is there a way you’d prefer me to read?” Connor asked.

“No, as I said, you are quite spectacular. I simply thought that we should add something in, given this pivotal moment.” Professor Englund explained. “Laura, would you please join us? I feel the class would benefit for this scene. It may feel more emotional, if it were to feel like a real conversation.”

“I see.” Connor kept his words brief.

As Laura got up from her seat, Connor let his eyes drift over to Gavin once more. The reaction wasn’t something he’d expected, despite knowing that the pairing for the masquerade would cause tension.

He looked, for lack of a better word, jealous- an expression Connor had never seen on the normally stoic Detective.

He’d have to file that with the many other questions he had for Gavin.

The questions he wanted to ask were starting to form a lengthy list.

“Hi.” Laura spoke shyly, as she stepped up beside Connor, getting almost uncomfortably close. “Sorry, the Professor only has one copy. We’ll have to share.”

“That’s alright.” Connor allowed himself to show a small smile. “Professor, should I read that line again?”

“Yes, definitely- it sets the scene!” Professor Englund gestured for Connor to continue.

“Meanwhile, Christine Daaé uttered a deep sigh, which was answered by a groan. She turned her head, saw Raoul and started. She looked at the doctor, on whom she bestowed a smile, then at her maid, then at Raoul again.” Connor read the passage over once more.

“_Monsieur_, she said, in a voice not much above a whisper.” Laura started, glancing briefly up at Connor, and smiling again. “Who are you?”

“_Mademoiselle_, replied the young man, kneeling on one knee and pressing a fervent kiss on the diva's hand.” Connor let himself relax slightly, and turned to face Laura, before continuing. “I am the little boy who went into the sea to rescue your scarf!”

“Christine again looked at the doctor and the maid, and all three began to laugh.” Laura read clearly; her own face slightly flushed. “Raoul turned very red and stood up.”

“_Mademoiselle_, he said…” Connor carried on. “Since you are pleased not to recognize me, I should like to say something to you…in private, something very important…”

As he finished his lines, Connor turned to look at Laura once more. Her face was still an interesting shade of red, but she hadn’t misread any of her lines. The clarity in her voice carried through the room, and held the classes’ attention just as much as Connor had. The reaction told him that she was held in high regard by the rest of the class, meaning she was likely one of the more outspoken students.

“Connor!” Professor Englund spoke, abruptly startling Connor out of his thoughts. “I was just saying what a wonderful job the two of you did, with that segment of the chapter!”

“I-“ Connor quickly thought of a response. “Thank you, Professor.”

“You’re quite welcome!” the Professor clapped his hands together, drawing everyone’s attention, before continuing. “Please, continue!”

Scanning the book’s pages, Connor quickly found where he and Laura had left off, waited until she had found her way back to her seat, and resumed reading aloud. Which he was surprised to find he…actually enjoyed.

* * *

“Raoul was left alone. The whole of this part of the theatre was now deserted. The farewell ceremony was no doubt taking place in the foyer of the ballet. Raoul thought that Daaé might go to it and he waited in the silent solitude, even hiding in the favouring shadow of a doorway. He felt a terrible pain at his heart, and it was of this that he wanted to speak to Daaé without delay…”

* * *

“Hardly breathing, he went up to the dressing-room and, with his ear to the door to catch her reply, prepared to knock. But his hand dropped. He had heard A MAN'S VOICE in the dressing-room, saying, in a curiously masterful tone…” Connor paused, when he saw the Professor stand up straight.

“I am sorry to interrupt you again, Connor, but this is the first time we hear the Phantom speak.” Professor Englund explained. “Gavin, perhaps you’d care to join us?”

Feeling his thirium pump skip more than a few beats, Connor looked up at Gavin.

The Detective looked like he wasn’t sure whether to be happy or pissed off. Connor hoped he was leaning more towards the former. He’d be more comfortable reading with someone he knew better.

Albeit, someone he still had much to learn about.

“I’ll do it.” Gavin spoke, startling Connor out of his thoughts.

Surprised, Connor watched as the Detective stood up, and nonchalantly walked down the stairs- as if he’d not spent the past half hour wound up with tension.

He wanted to question Gavin’s sudden change in demeanour, but Connor knew it wasn’t the time.

Not with everyone’s eyes on them.

As Gavin took his place, he carefully took the book from Connor- deliberately letting their fingers ghost against one another as he did so.

It took all of Connor’s willpower not to go practically _iridescent _with blue.

“Now we just need our Christine again.” Professor Englund spoke up.

Noting how the Detective’s shoulders immediately tensed, Connor opened his mouth to speak- but reluctantly put that idea to the back of his mind, as he watched Laura approach them once more.

She quickly took her place on the other side of Connor. Recalling the next few lines, from the quick scan he’d done, Connor took a step back- setting the scene. He knew the Professor would appreciate it, and they needed the man to approve.

He _knew _these students. And it was clear from the classes atmosphere that they knew their Professor just as well. A strong student-teacher relationship that could provide a wealth of details.

As he taught the class the missing students shared, he could eventually prove instrumental in their solving of the case. Being a teacher, he likely noticed things about his students that others wouldn’t pick up on.

“If you narrate, Connor.” Professor Englund interrupted Connor’s thoughts again. “Once more, from the top- as they say.

“Of course.” Connor smiled. “I can recall the rest of the passage.”

“Impressive. Please, continue!” the Professor beamed.

“Hardly breathing, he went up to the dressing-room and, with his ear to the door to catch her reply, prepared to knock. But his hand dropped. He had heard A MAN'S VOICE in the dressing-room, saying, in a curiously masterful tone…” Connor let his voice tail off.

“Christine, you must love me!" Gavin read clearly.

Connor was surprised by the amount of effort that the Detective put into his lines- his body language showed that he was clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

It became increasingly clear to Connor that, while Gavin projected well and certainly appeared confident in all respects, there were some things he would avoid at all costs- if he could.

“And Christine's voice, infinitely sad and trembling, as though accompanied by tears, replied…” Connor managed to pick up where he left off.

“How can you talk like that? WHEN I SING ONLY FOR YOU!" Laura spoke earnestly, voice rising with the written emotions.

“Raoul leaned against the panel to ease his pain. His heart, which had seemed gone for ever, returned to his breast and was throbbing loudly. The whole passage echoed with its beating and Raoul's ears were deafened.” Connor paused for a moment, before continuing. “Surely, if his heart continued to make such a noise, they would hear it inside, they would open the door and the young man would be turned away in disgrace. What a position for a Chagny! To be caught listening behind a door! He took his heart in his two hands to make it stop.”

After letting yet another moment of silence pass, to allow the class time to absorb the passage before continuing, Connor carried on reading.

“The man's voice spoke again…” he read clearly.

“Are you very tired?” Gavin spoke.

“Oh, to-night I gave you my soul and I am dead! Christine replied.” Laura glanced back at Connor as she read.

“_Your soul is a beautiful thing, child_, replied the grave man's voice.” Gavin drew her attention once more. “And I thank you. No emperor ever received so fair a gift. THE ANGELS WEPT TONIGHT.”

As Gavin finished reading, the Professor clapped his hands once more, but continued applauding- encouraging the rest of the students in the lecture hall to follow suit- rising in volume until the applause was almost deafening.

Connor found it hard to contain his laughter at the Detective’s less than amused expression.

Harder still when he pictured how Hank would have reacted to Gavin’s performance.

But he soon found himself distracted by the noticeable blush spreading across the Detective’s face.

“That was wonderful!” Professor Englund enthused. “I almost wish this were a theatre class- it was like we were there, in the Opera house!”

“Thank you, Professor.” Laura smiled sweetly.

“As much as I hate to send you and Gavin to your seats, I’m afraid I must.” The Professor sighed. “This next passage only requires one reader.”

Connor didn’t entirely register the smile that Laura sent his way. He was completely focused on the Detective- whose expression he was far more interested in.

And if he let his eyes wander lower as the man walked away?

_Connor would never tell._

* * *

“He stood for ten minutes listening to the gas flaring in the silence of the empty room; lover though he was, he did not even think of stealing a ribbon that would have given him the perfume of the woman he loved.” Connor cleared his throat, for appearance more than anything else. “He went out, not knowing what he was doing nor where he was going. At a given moment in his wayward progress, an icy draft struck him in the face. He found himself at the bottom of a staircase, down which, behind him, a procession of workmen were carrying a sort of stretcher, covered with a white sheet.”

Glancing back up, to see whether he still had the room’s attention, Connor was pleasantly surprised to see everyone still firmly fixated on him. He took a moment to look over to Gavin, and watched as the Detective smiled at him.

A genuine smile- something which Connor had come to admire.

It took Connor a moment, and several deep breaths, before he could continue.

“_Which is the way out, please?_ he asked of one of the men. "Straight in front of you, the door is open. But let us pass."

Finding that he was getting close to the end of the chapter, Connor felt his body relax with sheer relief. Whilst he had initially enjoyed the reading, his continued position in the spotlight was beginning to feel almost claustrophobic.

Keeping a smile fixed firmly on his face, not wanting anyone to discern how he felt, Connor continued to read.

“Pointing to the stretcher, he asked mechanically…_What's that?_” Connor read clearly. “The workmen answered…_That_ is Joseph Buquet, who was found in the third cellar, hanging between a farm-house and a scene from the Roi de Lahore."

Clearing his throat, Connor let a moment of silence pass for effect, before reading the final line of the chapter.

“He took off his hat, fell back to make room for the procession and went out.”

As soon as he’d finished reading, Connor glanced sideways towards the Professor. When the man nodded, Connor closed the book, taking great care not to damage the spine or yellowing pages.

It was clear that the aged copy was one of the man’s prized possessions.

When he handed the book back to the Professor, Connor was surprised by his silence- and the general lack of noise in the room.

He was about to open his mouth and speak up, to see if he’d misread the last sentence, though he knew that was next to impossible, when Professor Englund cleared his throat- and turned to Connor with a look of wonder on his face.

“You are…quite the public speaker.” Professor Englund enthused. “And your pronunciation of the French language is exquisite! What a way to make a first impression!”

The Professor carefully put his book down, before starting a round of applause that quickly made its way around the room.

Knowing his time in the spotlight was thankfully nearing its end, Connor focused past the noise- and locked eyes with Gavin.

Who promptly went tomato red when Connor caught him staring, and quickly looked away.

For a moment.

Before awkwardly looking back again.

Just as a smile was beginning to form on the Detective’s face, Connor felt the Professor place a hand on his shoulder, and was abruptly pulled back into reality.

“I appreciate the effort you put into your reading.” Professor Englund smiled. “I look forward to having you and Gavin on this course.”

When the man offered his hand, Connor shook it. He couldn’t sense even the slightest ill will, and so allowed himself to completely relax.

His complex systems allowed him to pick up on the smallest details, and if they weren’t bringing up any glaring concerns, then they were safe- for the moment.

Something which Connor knew could potentially change at any time.

“If you’d like to take your seat, Connor, we can begin our analysis of those passages.” Professor Englund interrupted Connor’s thoughts once more.

Grateful to finally be released from the spotlight, Connor walked quickly back to his seat- though not so quickly as to draw any more attention. Despite his eagerness to return to the Detective, he reminded himself to offer Laura a smile. It was clear that she was warming up to him, at least- which would only be useful for the case.

He just had to discern why Gavin seemed opposed to her presence.

Once he’d received the answers to the million other questions he’d have to throw the Detective’s way before the day was done.

Pushing everything but the most vital information to the recesses of his mind, Connor took his seat beside Gavin once more- relaxing into the seat the second he sank back down.

Once he’d allowed himself a moment to recalibrate, Connor glanced sideways at his new partner. The Detective wasn’t entirely focused on him, but he quickly realised that was simply because Gavin was waiting patiently, until Connor was ready, before he spoke up.

Finding himself smiling, drawn into the Detective’s eyes, he watched as the man turned round to face him- looking more at ease now they were at the back of the lecture hall…and away from prying eyes.

“Not bad.” Gavin spoke, keeping his voice low as the Professor prepared himself to continue the day’s course.

“I could say the same about you, Det-“ Connor quickly corrected himself, something he’d had to do many times before. And would likely repeat before the case was solved. “Gavin. I wasn’t aware that-“

“Now, everyone! Professor Englund’s booming voice interrupted Connor. “With all of you settled down, we can continue.”

“Tell me later.” Gavin shrugged it off.

“Gavin-“ Connor protested.

He wanted to return the Detective’s surprisingly honest compliment. As…odd as it was.

“_Later, _dipshit.” Gavin rolled his eyes- before smirking, indicating that the gesture was…just that. A gesture.

Reluctantly, Connor turned away from the detective, and focused on the matter at hand. The remainder of the day’s lecture.

They’d left an admirably positive first impression after their dramatic reading, but the smallest slip up could put that in jeopardy.

_He had to focus_.

* * *

“To conclude, I’m certain we can all agree that these first handfuls of words set the scene for the rest of Le Fantôme de l'Opéra.” Professor Englund concluded. “As there is little left for you all to analyse at home, I am simply going to ask that you all begin research for your Masquerade costumes. I wish you all the best of luck, and I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow!”

When the professor stepped down and away from the podium, officially concluding the lesson, the lecture hall immediately began to fill with noise. But not an unpleasant noise. It was oddly reminiscent of the station- people talking about anything they could think of between shift changes and rounds.

It was…welcoming.

Taking the opportunity, Connor turned to look at Gavin- who looked much more relaxed now that the first day’s lecture was concluded. The Detective had relaxed, and sunk further into his seat, if that were even possible- something that served to bring up a smile on Connor’s face.

“Gavin.” Connor kept his voice low, not wanting to disturb the Detective any more than was necessary.

When the man turned his way, and tilted his head to indicate that he was listening, Connor spoke up again.

“Your reading, before the lecture…” Connor cleared his throat. “It was-“

“Like a high school play gone wrong?” Gavin suggested.

“No…” Connor was surprised by the Detective’s reaction. “What I observed was the opposite of that.”

“That a compliment?” Gavin helped the conversation along.

“It is.” Connor spoke sincerely.

“Connor.” Gavin glanced away for a moment, the slightest hint of red on his face, before looking back. “Thanks.”

“You’re-“ Connor started.

He was interrupted by the sound of someone calling his name. With the voice’s owner indiscernible amongst the post-lecture chatter, Connor looked round the room- until his systems located the one behind the voice.

Laura.

“We should head over there.” Connor started getting up, ensuring his bag was hanging securely over his shoulder.

“And why would we do that?” Gavin made no effort to move.

“She seems to have formed some sort of attachment to us.” Connor chose his words carefully. “If we pursue this…friendship…we may be able to discover something useful.”

“Like what, dipshit?” Gavin raised an eyebrow.

“We have no leads.” Connor lowered his voice. “Anything would be preferable to reporting back to Captain Fowler empty-handed.”

“Got a point.” Gavin cleared his throat, before reluctantly rising to his feet- stretching in an effort to get rid of the effects of a several hours long lecture. “Lead the way, Connor.”

Reassured, in the knowledge that he had the Detective’s support, however reluctant it was, Connor turned back towards Laura- and waved to indicate that the two of them were on their way over.

Adopting a casual stance as he walked, he soon reached her side- soon finding himself and Gavin in the midst of a very enthusiastic group of students. Able to discern that they were Laura’s friends, Connor smiled, offering a slight wave in a way of greeting them- slightly taken aback by the size of the group.

“You…were really good up there, Connor.” Laura spoke up, initiating the conversation.

“Thank you.” Connor adopted a neutral, yet warm expression- wanting to appear as relaxed as possible. “You were good…as well.”

“Well, thanks! I’ve been working on my French pronunciation because of this student my parents are hosting.” Laura explained.

“You were very clear. I’m sure the student you’re hosting will appreciate your efforts.”

“I hope so! It’d make things a lot less awkward.”

Seeming to only just notice Gavin standing slightly behind Connor, Laura turned her attentions to him. Whether she hadn’t noticed the Detective’s less than welcoming expression, or had just simply chosen to ignore it, Laura kept smiling.

“You were great up there too, Gavin.” Laura spoke earnestly. “Do either of you speak French? You sounded so natural!”

Thinking for a moment, Connor considered his answer. Due to his programming, he had access to every language currently known to humans. He could understand them, write clearly, and speak each as naturally as any native speaker. But he couldn’t tell the whole truth to the others. It would draw suspicion. Yet, he also didn’t want to introduce another lie.

There was already a web of those forming around their involvement in the investigation. Connor knew that, even with his advanced programming, too many lies would complicate matters unnecessarily. They had to hold some truths to the lies, to keep everything running smoothly- and keep away prying eyes.

So Connor quickly came up with a solution. It would still seem a little strange, but was more believable than the other option. And it wasn’t a complete omission of the truth.

“I speak a couple of languages.” Connor shrugged slightly, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible.

“Really?” Laura glanced at her cluster of friends, before turning back to Connor. “Think you could tell us which ones? I think different languages are interesting to study.”

“I speak…” Connor quickly came up with the most common he could think of. “French, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin…”

“That’s more than a couple!” Laura interjected, before noticing that Connor wasn’t done talking. “Sorry! Didn’t mean to interrupt!”

“It’s fine.” Connor smiled.

“Ok, phew.” Laura mimed wiping sweat off her brow. “You weren’t done. Just ignore me- please…continue. How many more languages can you speak?”

“Just…” Connor glanced sideways at Gavin, who looked mildly in shock at the revelation. “Arabic and Russian. I’m…trying to learn as many as I can.”

“Well, I’d say you’re off to a pretty amazing start there.” Laura shook her head. “How do you remember it all?”

“…memory exercises.” Connor offered quickly.

“Really? Well-“ Laura started.

“Prove it.” A male student with wide rimmed glasses stepped forward.

Instantly hearing Gavin huff behind him, at the student’s interruption and clearly condescending tone, Connor quickly replied- not wanting it to escalate unnecessarily.

He quickly realised that, even with toning down the true depths of his programmed knowledge, he had still brought too much attention onto himself.

And, by proxy, Gavin.

Connor realised that, even with all he’d learned, he still had yet to be able to fully pass for a human. Even the most intelligent of humans could only master a handful of languages- they were among the most difficult of things to learn.

Noticing the impatient expression on the interrupting student’s face, Connor snapped out of his steadily spiralling train of thought, and brought himself back into reality.

“How would you like me to prove it to you?” Connor asked, keeping his tone neutral.

“You don’t have to.” Laura insisted, looking a little uncomfortable.

“It’s fine.” Connor quickly reassured her. “How-“

“Russian.” The interrupting student adjusted his glasses. “Say something in Russian. I’ll use this app on my tablet to check if it makes any sense.”

“This is-“ Laura huffed. “Dan, do you have to be-“

“It’s alright.” Connor repeated his reassurance, before thinking hard.

After a moment, he found himself struggling to hold back laughter- he’d come up with quite an unexpected answer. It would likely irritate the student demanding proof of Connor’s knowledge, but judging by the other student’s expressions, it would win favour with the others.

Something they would desperately need if they were to get anywhere with the investigation.

“Vy prosili menya dokazat', chto ya znayu.” Connor spoke, his voice integrating with the language coding built into his programming. “Mne ne nuzhno nichego dokazyvat' tebe.”

After allowing a moment for the student to type on his tablet, still wearing a less than amused expression, Connor continued.

“No ya budu.” Connor spoke flawlessly. “Po tvoyemu tonu i yazyku tela ya mogu dokazat', chto ty…nuzhno udalit' etu palku iz vashey zadnitsy.”

Once he was done, Connor waited along with the others as the uptight student furiously tapped on his tablet screen. Taking advantage of the moment of respite from all the attention, he glanced backwards at Gavin, who was looking at him with a curiously fond expression.

An expression that unfortunately vanished from the Detective’s face when they locked eyes, and Gavin quickly turned away.

Before he could speak to the Detective, Connor found his attention drawn back to the uptight student, who he remembered as being called _Dan_ by Laura, cleared his throat. Finding it difficult not to react to the provocation, Connor forced himself to focus.

Once Dan was satisfied that _he _now held the room’s attention, he held out his tablet- which began repeating Connor’s words in English.

“You've asked for me to prove what I know.” A robotic voice spoke. “I don't have to prove anything to you, but I will.”

Knowing what was to come, Connor took a small step back, until he stood beside Gavin.

When the Detective glanced his way, Connor found it increasingly hard to hold back his laughter. His response to the student’s demand was bordering on immature, but he found himself oddly anticipating the fallout.

It would certainly alleviate the steadily building tension.

“From your tone and body language, I can prove that you...” the robotic voice continued. “…need to remove that stick from your ass.”

The reaction was _instantaneous. _

Dan immediately flushed a bright, angry red, which seemed to be the only thing holding back the fallout.

Gavin started laughing unashamedly, revelling in the student’s reaction.

Something that the others quickly echoed- the sound of laughter soon filling the lecture hall. It was clearly a relief that the situation had ended in a simple jab, or burn, instead of cruel words or fighting.

Clearly affronted, Dan bristled- but ultimately chose to duck away, and quickly stroll out of the room.

His cowardly exit wasn’t helped by his tripping over his own feet- something that made Gavin start _wheezing _with laughter.

Finding himself somewhat entranced by the sound of the Detective laughing, Connor found himself just _staring _at Gavin. The way the man’s eyes crinkled slightly when he laughed, and the way he had to hold onto Connor’s shoulder for support as he gasped for breath between laughs, was…strangely endearing.

Upon further examination, Connor saw a _dimple_ forming by the left corner of the Detective’s mouth. A _dimple._

Just the one, but a revelation nonetheless.

It completely contradicted Gavin’s normally cold and stoic exterior.

But, even despite the non-symmetrical expression, Connor found himself at a loss for words.

In the warm light of the lecture hall, he suddenly became aware of just how _perfect _the Detective’s smile was.

Connor had seen Gavin smile before, of course, but this was the first time he’d seen the man with such an utterly unashamed, expression of joy. A sight that Connor knew would stay with him for…

“Connor!” Laura’s voice snapped Connor back into reality.

Reluctantly taking his focus away from Gavin, and struggling to hold back the blush threatening to take over his face, Connor turned to Laura- whose own smile was admittedly pleasant to look at…but still not comparable to the Detective’s.

Shaking his head, to clear the last of the distracting thoughts from his mind…at least for the moment, Connor forced a neutral expression back onto his face.

“Yes?” Connor spoke up.

“I think you just made everyone’s day!” Laura laughed again. “We’ve all tried putting that stuck up _asshole _in his place, but I’ve never seen him run away like that!”

“That’s the best thing I’ve seen in weeks.” A student in the crowd spoke up.

With a flurry of excited comments coming his way, his words clearly having brought some relief to the previously tense atmosphere, Connor tuned out of it all. The multiple voices was making it increasingly difficult to concentrate- as his systems were attempting to process dozens of voices at once- whilst dealing with an extreme amount of background noise.

At least, that’s what Connor told himself.

The reality was that he simply wished to look back at Gavin once again, to see even a hint of the smile he’d been lucky enough to witness.

But he couldn’t quite find the strength to admit that, even to himself.

“It’s a shame Damian and Kaitlyn aren’t here for this.” Laura spoke.

The mention of the missing students’ names snapped Connor out of his thoughts, bringing him back into reality with an abrupt snap.

“You mentioned them before.” Connor managed to speak, keeping his voice and tone level. “That they had some…personal problems.”

“Yeah.” Laura sighed. “None of us really knew them that well. They kind of kept to themselves- but they seemed alright. Never missed a class.”

“Never?” Gavin interjected.

“Never. They seemed to really like it here. Or, on this course, at the very least.” Laura shrugged, before sighing. “I hope they’re ok.”

“I’m sure they are.” Connor smiled warmly.

“But they’ve never missed a day…” Laura took a deep breath. “We can’t think too much into it. Their parents probably took them on some fancy vacation, like mine do sometimes.”

“That’s probably all it is.” Connor tried reassuring her.

He considered pressing her for more information, but he could tell it wasn’t the time nor place. There was a lot of attention on them, and pushing too much could have an adverse effect.

Laura and the others could push Gavin and Connor away, as they were outsiders- and that would block any useful information they could glean from the rest of the class.

_Which would be more than detrimental to their case._


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor and Gavin experience their first day on the Love in Literature course, and begin their investigation in full. What will they find?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d like to dedicate this part to caffeinateddetective, who I mentioned in the Author's Note of the previous chapter. They’re going through a tough time, and are always there for me and have helped me with LIL for as long as I can remember. So, my friend, this is for you.
> 
> Yes, this is Part 2 of First Day. To be clear, this Part is split into 3, because otherwise you'd have to scroll through 65 pages in one sitting.
> 
> SO THIS IS CHAPTER 2 OF THOSE 3 CHAPTERS!!!

* * *

**CONNOR P.O.V**

* * *

After thinking for a moment, Connor turned to Gavin. He waited until Laura had turned back to talk to the other students before raising his voice- albeit only a little. Connor didn’t want the attention to turn back on them just yet.

“I have an idea.” Connor kept his voice low.

“Go ahead.” Gavin nodded subtly.

“We could host the other students at the apartment that’s been loaned to us.” Connor started. “A relaxed atmosphere-“

“A fucking house party?” Gavin raised an eyebrow.

“Yes. Or…apartment party, in this case. I’m not certain what the expression is for that.”

“Doesn’t really matter. It’s a good idea, though.” Gavin shrugged.

“You believe so?” Connor was surprised.

“I do. Give some teenagers-“ Gavin started.

“Young adults.” Connor corrected, impulsively.

“_Young adults.” _Gavin spoke, almost mockingly. “Give them some alcohol, some music- and they’ll tell you pretty much anything.”

“So you agree?” Connor pursued.

“I do. We get them relaxed…more likely to learn something.” Gavin concluded.

“Alright. Perhaps…Friday?” Connor suggested.

“That works. More people turn up when there’s nothing on the next day.” Gavin agreed.

“What time?” Connor started.

“You two plotting something?” Laura interjected, looking curious- and pointedly ignoring the barely concealed huff from Gavin.

“Maybe.” Connor joked, turning the atmosphere back into a casual one. “We were hoping you’d all like to join us for a…party, on Friday. We’d like to get to know you all, as we’re going to be on this course for some time.”

“A party?” Laura looked intrigued. “I’m always up for that. When were you thinking of having it?”

“Friday?” Connor suggested, tentatively.

“Friday.” Laura quickly checked her phone. “I’m good. Anyone else able to make it?”

When practically every student answered with a resounding yes, Connor glanced at Gavin- and saw the Detective’s shoulders relax a little.

Reassured by this, Connor found himself smiling at his new partner- smiling wider when Gavin offered a slight smile of his own in return.

“What time?” Laura interrupted Connor’s thoughts once more.

“…seven?” Connor suggested tentatively.

“Sounds good. What can we bring?” Laura immediately asked.

“You don’t have to-“ Connor started.

“We don’t turn up empty handed around here.” Laura grinned. “Come on, what can we bring? Drinks? Food?”

“We’ll be grateful for whatever you can bring.” Connor spoke genuinely.

“Alright then! Looks like we’re all set!” Laura thought for a moment. “We’re going to need an address.”

After briefly scanning through his data logs for the address that Fowler and the College president had provided, Connor repeated it to Laura- who’s eyes seemed to widen slightly.

“Pretty upscale part of town.” Laura shook her head in disbelief. “Only a couple of us live over that way.”

“We can-“ Connor started.

“I’m pretty sure we’re all capable of making our own way.” Laura chuckled. “Friday, at 7. Can’t wait!”

Once the basics of the party were laid out, and shared with the rest of the class, Connor and Gavin remained- hoping to pick up on any details in the idle chit chat. They were so absorbed in what all the students were saying, that they didn’t notice Laura trying to get their attention once more. So much so, that she had to wave her hand in front of their faces to get a response- something that instantly made Gavin bristle.

“Can we help you?” Gavin asked sarcastically.

“I was just wondering-“ Laura rolled her eyes briefly. “If you don’t mind me saying, the two of you…you look a little older than the rest of us.”

“Something wrong with that?” Gavin questioned.

“No, I’m just curious. No harm in asking, right?” Laura asked casually.

“You-“ Gavin started, clearly annoyed with her constant barrage of questions.

“No harm done.” Connor tactfully interjected. “We graduated from an accounting based College about two years ago…but we decided we needed a change of pace.”

“You wanted to try something different.” Laura surmised.

“Yes.” Connor confirmed. “This course seemed like a good option.”

“It is. This is one of the best courses on offer here.” Laura smiled. “You definitely made a good choice.”

With the tension resolved, Laura took a moment to look at her phone- before focusing fully on the screen. Her body seemed to immediately tense up, something she quickly masked with an almost theatrical sigh.

“Shit. Got to head home, start on my costume.” Laura spoke up.

“Little early to start.” Gavin frowned.

“Not for me. I can’t sew to save my life, but I’m not missing out on that extra credit.” Laura explained.

“We understand.” Connor smiled, before pulling out the tablet the President had given him and Gavin- and pretending to check the time. “We should be on our way as well. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Alright.” Laura deflated, clearly saddened by the lack of an offer to walk out with her. “It was great getting to know you…both.”

After exchanging warm farewells with the other students, Connor and Gavin headed out of the room- walking just a little quicker than they normally would in a sly effort to get away faster.

They managed to get out of the lecture hall, and round the closest corner, without any further interruptions- which gave them a few moments to themselves.

Moments they knew would be few and far between, until they solved the case.

“Fuck.” Gavin cursed, drawing Connor’s attention.

Concerned, Connor immediately returned to reality- just in time to see Gavin leaning against the wall in visible relief.

“Are you alright?” Connor questioned.

“Just thought we’d never get away.” Gavin’s mouth twitched upwards in a small smile.

“They were just…” Connor paused, considering his words.

“Nosy pricks?” Gavin offered.

“No!” Connor protested. “They…”

When he couldn’t think of anything to counteract Gavin’s statement, as the students had hit them with quite the barrage of questions, Connor let his words tail off.

Something that made Gavin’s smile grow wider.

“We should…focus on the case.” Connor made a sly glance around to check that no one was within earshot.

“Ok.” Gavin stood up straight. “I think we should start with where they were last on camera. Before they disappeared.”

“I agree.” Connor closed his eyes for a moment, to examine the data and video files that the College President had given to them, before speaking up again. “Follow me.”

“I can do that.” Gavin’s smile turned into something akin to a smirk.

Feeling his thirium pump skip a beat, at the implications of the Detective’s words, Connor quickly turned away- focusing on the path ahead.

Though it was…difficult.

* * *

**GAVIN P.O.V**

* * *

As he followed after Connor, Gavin found his mind drifting over to the day’s events. It had been a rocky start on his end, at least- given the disturbing amount of alcohol he’d drunk the night before- but it had turned around dramatically. In the past few hours, he’d gotten to know even more about his new partner, each new revelation only serving to deepen the affection he was constantly trying to deny.

Connor had shown how quickly he could adapt to any given situation, that he had a surprisingly well crafted sense of humour…and that he could _effortlessly _speak any language thrown his way.

Gavin knew that androids came equipped with the capacity to speak whatever language was required, but hearing Connor speak _Russian _of all things- and smoothly…was…oddly attractive. Connor had also shown his passion for literature, something which Gavin found oddly endearing.

Not that he’d tell that to his new partner.

At least, not yet.

Bringing himself back into reality as they turned another corner in the college’s winding halls, Gavin found his eyes steadily drifting lower down Connor’s back.

He became so distracted by the android’s sculpted ass that he ended up _walking into him _when Connor abruptly stopped walking_. _

Enough to make the highly advanced, dexterous android fucking _stumble_.

Enough to make Gavin want to crawl into a hole and never come back out.

“Are you alright?” Connor turned to face Gavin, expression one of sincere concern.

“I’m good. Uh…sorry. For that.” Gavin stumbled his way through an apology.

“It’s alright.” Connor frowned slightly. “Is there something-“

“I’m good.” Gavin spoke quickly. “Just…thinking about the case.”

“Oh.” Connor seemed to…almost deflate- albeit only a little. “Well, I believe we’ve found the room.”

“The room.” Gavin quickly remembered where they’d been heading, trying to rid his mind of the tempting image that had been in front of him for the past few minutes. “This where they disappeared?”

“It would seem so. They don’t appear on any more of the cameras after they enter this room.” Connor confirmed.

With a final glance around to ensure no one had followed them, Connor entered the room- graciously holding the door open for Gavin.

Finding himself smiling at Connor, as he thanked him, Gavin fought hard to contain a blush from spreading across his face as the android smiled back.

It was an expression that Gavin didn’t think he’d ever get used to, as even two days ago _seeing _such an expression on Connor would have been near impossible.

Sure, he’d seen Connor smile, but not up close like this- he’d been too much of a fucking asshole to see it like that before.

“Gavin?” Connor’s voice brought Gavin back into awareness.

Immediately, Gavin refocused on the matter at hand, fully immersing himself in the case. He couldn’t afford to keep getting distracted. Not with the two lives potentially on the line. Whatever he was feeling for Connor could wait. The missing kids were what was important, and they had to take priority.

No matter how difficult it was.

“We need to take a look around. If we don’t find anything that stands out, I can run a detailed scan of the room- to detect anything we may have missed.” Connor spoke, once he locked eyes with Gavin.

“Sounds good.” Gavin acknowledged. “I’ll take left, you take right?”

“That works.” Connor agreed. “Let me know if you find anything.”

“Alright.” Gavin nodded.

Immediately, Gavin focused all his attention on his side of the room. He quickly became aware of the fact that his surroundings were an exact match for the lecture hall which hosted Love in Literature. Whether it was by sheer coincidence, or tied to the case, he didn’t know. Or, at least, he didn’t know _yet. _Maybe it would lead to a breakthrough in the case.

Or maybe that was wishful thinking.

Pushing the sliver of information to the back of his mind, Gavin stepped forward, and began searching the room in earnest. He left no stone unturned- checking under every table, every chair…and pulling out every drawer he laid eyes on. Gavin even paid close attention to where he was walking, listening for anything that sounded out of place- on the small chance that something would be hidden beneath the floor.

It was highly unlikely that anything would be stored under there- the floor looked too even and well maintained for that- but they couldn’t afford to leave even the smallest stone unturned.

* * *

Sometime later, Gavin had to begrudgingly admit defeat. The room was eerily as sterile and clean as the Wayne’s house had been, but the entire College was like that. Not that _that _realization helped him in any way.

If anything, it just brought up memories of that encounter. And their interview with Mr Wayne.

That guy was so fucking _soulless._

“Did you find anything?” Connor brought Gavin out of his thoughts, before his mind could go back down that rabbit hole again.

Which was probably for the best.

Thinking about the guy, other than sending chills down his spine, still pissed him off.

“Gavin?” Connor spoke up again, forcing him to refocus. “Did you find anything?”

“No, nothing.” Gavin cleared his throat. “You?”

“Nothing that I can see on the surface.” Connor looked slightly deflated.

“Think you’ll find anything on the scan?” Gavin paused.

“I hope so.” Connor shook his head slightly. “We haven’t discovered anything significant. Nothing that can really aid us.”

“Haven’t discovered anything _yet, _dipshit.” Gavin joked, in an attempt to lighten the increasingly depressing atmosphere.

“Yet.” Connor repeated, a slight smile making its way onto his face. “I’ll perform a scan now. Hopefully we’ll get some results.”

When Connor’s eyes glazed over, and went inhumanly blank, Gavin felt a chill run down his spine. It only lasted for a moment- Connor’s software was evidently as advanced as he’d heard- but it was long enough for Gavin to know he never wanted to see that expression on the android’s face again.

After what felt like a lifetime (when in reality was less than 30 seconds), Connor’s eyes returned to normal- bright and full of life. Eyes which immediately locked with Gavin’s as the android turned to face him.

“And?” Gavin prompted.

“Nothing stands out.” Connor looked defeated. “The room has been cleaned recently, and the students disappeared several weeks ago- I can’t find any traces of their DNA.”

“Nothing.” Gavin took a deep breath, before thinking. “Should check outside.”

“I agree.” Connor paused, for a moment, before continuing. “I can also scan the surrounding area for any devices that may have caught them on their way out.”

“Don’t you need a warrant for-“ Gavin started.

“I can’t look at the footage itself without a warrant,” Connor tactfully interrupted. “But I can find out which devices were active at the time of the students’ disappearance.”

“Narrows down the ones we’d have to get a warrant for.” Gavin was impressed. “Lead the way.”

After they’d both looked around one last time, more to ensure they weren’t being watched than anything else, Gavin followed after Connor- as the android headed for the nearest window. The chosen route would look pretty fucking suspicious, but it was less conspicuous than sneaking round the back of the building. It also meant that they couldn’t be interrupted on their way out- they’d had too many distractions already, and they couldn’t afford many more.

Connor half jumping through the window like some kind of parkour expert did little to help Gavin’s dignity as he awkwardly climbed through, stumbling on his way out. The string of curses barely managed to mask how he was slowly dying on the inside, if it masked that at all. Connor probably noticed every single fucking detail, even if he wouldn’t say it.

“Gavin?” Connor’s voice prompted Gavin to snap out of it.

Immediately straightening up, Gavin cleared his throat- hoping all traces of embarrassment were gone from his face. It was bad enough that Connor had seen him fall backwards off the couch just a few hours ago.

Fuck.

“Anything we can use?” Gavin gestured to their surroundings- where a camera was visible on practically every building.

“These devices only record for twenty-four hours at a time.” Connor informed him. “They delete all the footage after a single cycle.”

“Doesn’t sound…” Gavin thought of the right word.

“Efficient?” Connor offered.

“Exactly.”

“I agree. Though it appears if any suspicious activity is detected, an AI sends that footage through to the police.”

“So we might find something back at the station?”

“Maybe. It’s all we can do- there won’t be any other footage for us to look at.”

“Better than nothing.”

“True. We should look around all the same. There may be things that the cameras can’t pick up on.”

“Think you can check for footprints, shit like that?”

“I can. It’s doubtful we’ll get any useful results.”

“Still worth looking.”

When Connor smiled slightly in response, Gavin forced himself to refocus on the task at hand, immediately looking around to ensure they weren’t being observed by any prying eyes. After a look around confirmed that they were alone, with no disturbances likely to interrupt them, Gavin started crouching down- examining every square inch of the ground below.

It was as well maintained as the interior of the college- a collection of flowers and shrubs arranged by hedges which sectioned off most of the main building. The area was so perfect, that Gavin immediately felt doubt creeping into the back of his mind- it didn’t look like they’d be able to find anything of use. They couldn’t even ask when it had last been subject to any kind of maintenance, as the missing students had been gone for almost a month- rendering that entire line of questioning obsolete.

Just as he was about to stand up, and tell Connor that he’d found _jack shit_, Gavin saw something buried in the dirt- only identified by the tiniest of reflections. So small, that he was surprised he’d caught it at all.

Reacting on instinct, Gavin cautiously began moving the dirt away from the object. It took a few moments to get it clear, without disturbing the item itself, but eventually it was revealed. Lying there, albeit caked in dirt and showing a hell of a lot of wear and tear, was a ring. A thick golden band, with a shield like emblem on top.

Frowning, Gavin rummaged around in his bag. When he got to the very bottom, he found what he was looking for. Not wanting to be caught unprepared, he had hidden a smaller bag underneath all the other shit- in which was a makeshift field kit. Taking out a small Ziploc bag, and a set of disposable gloves, Gavin got to work. Pulling on the gloves, which always felt fucking horrible, he cautiously picked up the ring- glancing around them one last time before examining the item.

The emblem was definitely a shield, but the symbols’ detail was lost amidst the dirt. But, it was something that could be fixed.

“Connor?” Gavin turned, the ring carefully in his right hand. “Find anything?”

“Nothing we can use. There’s too much…” Connor paused.

“Everything?” Gavin offered.

“The high volume of traffic makes it impossible to isolate where the students may have disappeared. And with their records sealed, I can’t use their DNA to isolate anything in the data.”

“I’ve got something. I think.” Gavin tactfully interrupted.

“Let me see.” Connor also glanced around, before crouching down next to Gavin.

“Need to get it cleared up but…might be something.” Gavin shrugged.

“Might be.” Connor idly adjusted his false glasses.

Which definitely didn’t make Gavin’s heart skip a beat.

Or two.

Or three.

No fucking way.

“Or it’s just a ring some random asshole left behind.” Gavin brought himself back into the conversation.

“That…is a possibility.” Connor admitted awkwardly.

“Nothing else?”

“Nothing.”

“Could look around.”

“I agree. We should make sure we haven’t missed anything.”

* * *

After a solid hour of looking around the area surrounding the College, and diligently checking every security device they came across, Gavin finally admitted defeat- though it took some convincing to get Connor to stop the search. They’d gone into every alleyway, every possible route the missing students may have gone, and found nothing. Every security device in the area had a similar set up, which wasn’t that weird- it was in a…particularly affluent area, with a lot of luxury businesses calling the place home. It actually made sense, in a way. Didn’t make it any less frustrating when they finally had to call off the search.

“We don’t have much to take to Captain Fowler.” Connor spoke up, when they finally got back to the car.

“Not our fault. We checked everywhere.” Gavin reassured him, as he buckled into the driver’s seat. “Done what we could, with the parents being pieces of shit.”

“It still doesn’t feel right.”

“It doesn’t. But we’ve just got to get on with it. Fuck.”

When the conversation wound down, and slipped into an awkward silence, Gavin quickly turned the music back on. After placing his hands on the wheel, he looked over to Connor- and immediately stopped. The android was sat with his elbow propped up on the window, head turned at a slight angle in his hand. Connor’s expression was almost entirely neutral, until Gavin glanced up at his eyes. Eyes which, while focused on what lay ahead, were knitted together in frustration.

“Hey.” Gavin spoke up, drawing the android’s attention. “We’ll find them.”

Despite the fact they both knew the chances of finding the students alive, if at all, was next to nothing- given the timeframe, Connor smiled at Gavin.

And this time…

He couldn’t fucking deny it.

His heart _definitely _skipped a couple of beats.

* * *

**CONNOR P.O.V**

* * *

The closer they got to the precinct, the more nervous Connor felt. It wasn’t just the case, though that was certainly a large part of it. No, it was also the glaring realization that Hank had never seen Connor without his LED. In fact, neither had anyone else in the precinct. He’d just…never taken it off. Not even when the component was damaged, on more than one occasion. Even when it drew negative attention at the cluster of protests around the android/human peace treaties.

Surprising Connor, they’d all readily accepted how he preferred to keep wearing it after the revolution, encouraging him when he explained how he no longer had to feel ashamed of who he was- or hide it. So this was definitely going to turn a few heads.

Hank’s reaction, of course, remained Connor’s primary concern. He knew the Lieutenant would always accept him for who he was, regardless of what anyone else would say or think, but it was still a daunting task. Without the LED, and without his…his uniform. Connor barely held back a curse, as another realization caused stutters in his thirium pump.

Yes, he’d taken to _occasionally _wearing casual clothes when off duty…but it still wasn’t a regular thing. Not by any measure. And he’d certainly not experimented with what he wore to work. Hank had tried, obviously, but Connor was reluctant to swerve away from his familiar suit. It was a comfort, of sorts, especially with the Cyberlife logo removed. So, this was the first time he’d ever really experimented with his _own _style. Something his- something unique.

It was a day for firsts, Connor reluctantly concluded.

“Connor!” Gavin’s strangely loud tone shocked Connor out of his thoughts.

Quickly snapping back into awareness, Connor turned to look at Gavin. The man looked oddly concerned, brow furrowed and eyes reflecting a genuine emotion that Connor had never before seen in his new partner. It made the odd ache in his chest begin to make its way back into his systems.

“We’re here.” Gavin gestured to their surroundings, before adopting a softer tone of voice. “You ok?”

“I’m-“ Connor thought for a moment, taking a moment to allow scattered data to realign. “I’m ok.”

“Sure about that?” Gavin raised an eyebrow, though his tone still mixed with gentle concern.

“I’ll be ok.” Connor reaffirmed.

“If you say so.” Gavin shrugged, before speaking up again. “Want to tell me-“

“It’s nothing.” Connor tactfully interrupted.

“It’s not _nothing, _dipshit. What-“ Gavin started.

“The Lieutenant’s never seen me without my LED before.” Connor interrupted. “Neither has anyone else.”

“That’s why-“ Gavin took a deep breath. “Can go back to my place, pick it up-“

“It’s fine.” Connor gently cut him off. “I’ll be leaving it there for the duration of our case. It was inevitable they’d see me without it. It’s just..”

“Weird?” Gavin offered awkwardly.

“…actually, yes.” Connor chuckled slightly.

“Well…fuck. Look, I’m not good with-“ Gavin cut himself off, with a mumbled curse.

Before he could ask the Detective what he’d meant to say, Connor found himself stunned, as the man reached forward with his shaking right hand- and took Connor’s left in his grasp.

As their fingers interlocked, his smooth skin contrasting with Gavin’s rough multitude of tiny scars, Connor felt his thirium pump skip several beats, stuttering.

They’d briefly held hands before, when the Detective removed his LED, but it was nothing like _this._

This was…tender.

_Gentle._

Nothing like what he’d come to accept from Gavin.

But, it was…

_Definitely_ a welcome change.

“You…” Gavin cleared his throat, face taking on an interesting shade of red. “You good?”

“I-“ Connor took a deep breath, hoping to avoid the blue blush threatening to overtake his own face. “I’m alright.”

With that confirmation, Gavin awkwardly pulled his hand back. The sudden lack of contact was oddly disappointing to Connor, but he couldn’t rightly complain. It had clearly taken a lot for the Detective to show such forward concern.

And…it was…sweet.

Connor smiled. If you’d told him two days ago that he’d be using the word _sweet, _of all things, to describe **_Gavin Reed_**_, _he wouldn’t have believed you.

“Going to leave me out here, dipshit?” Gavin’s voice interrupted Connor’s thoughts.

Refocusing, Connor saw Gavin waiting just outside the car. He hadn’t even realised when the man had gotten out- he’d been too wrapped up in his own thoughts.

_Again_.

“No, I’m coming.” Connor hastily unbuckled, and got out from the car.

Closing the door carefully, Connor hooked his bag over his shoulder once more- watching fondly as Gavin dutifully locked the vehicle. The Detective checked it over several times before he was satisfied, but Connor couldn’t fault him for it.

Whilst he couldn’t claim to understand his partner’s love of motorized vehicles, it was clear they meant a great deal to Gavin.

So Connor could wait patiently, for however long it took.

The fact that the Detective had to bend over slightly to lock the car _definitely _didn’t have anything to do with how patient Connor could be.

Definitely not.

“Come on.” Gavin called out to Connor, as he headed towards the familiar, automatic revolving doors of the precinct.

Jogging slightly to catch up, he was soon walking beside the Detective once more. Before long, the two of them crossed the towering building’s threshold, and found themselves breathing more than a few sighs of relief between them. It was oddly comforting, to be back. After all, they knew everyone at the Precinct. And everyone knew them. They didn’t have to constantly look over their shoulders here, to check if anyone was listening. They didn’t feel like they were being watched by an unseen entity. The precinct was…well…_home._

Waving and smiling at the android receptionists, whose outfits were now unique to each of them, and embellished with their own endearing details, Connor silently waited for their reaction. Thankfully, the three women said nothing. Though their widened eyes and raised eyebrows betrayed them.

He couldn’t fault them. They had also elected to keep their LEDs after the revolution, unlike the rest of the Precinct’s androids, so it would be an even greater shock to them. Connor wished he could delegate some time to explain it all to them, but he knew they had to get to Fowler.

And, just as important, Hank. Connor wanted the Lieutenant to be his primary focus, aside from the case- so he could explain the reason behind the absence of his LED. Before the man jumped to conclusions and went after Gavin. Not that Connor could blame Hank. The three of them had never been on the best of terms, to say the least.

Shaking his head, Connor refocused, just as he and Gavin walked through the security framed doors and into the precinct’s inner sanctum. It was bustling with activity, but anyone who happened to be close as they headed for Hank’s desk unashamedly stopped and stared. Something that quickly gained momentum, even amongst those who had tactfully tried to avoid staring.

It wasn’t long before the entire room was focused on them- though some tried to at least hide their interest behind open files and magazines.

Thankfully, they reached Hank’s desk before long. The Lieutenant looked up when they came to a stop in front of him. It took a while to speak, as he looked the two of them up and down. When his focus drifted solely to Connor, and the man’s eyes passed, Connor braced himself.

A moment went by, before Hank abruptly choked on his coffee. As the man narrowly avoided getting the steaming hot liquid all over his desk, Connor knew Hank had noticed the LED. Or lack of it.

“The fuck?” Hank hastily put his mug down, before standing up and walking to stand beside Connor.

“Lieutenant-“ Connor started.

“Your…LED…thing!” Hank tactfully tried to keep his voice low. “The fuck happened?”

“It’s alright-“ Connor tried speaking.

“Did he do that?” Hank pointedly glanced towards Gavin.

“He didn’t-“ Connor paused, to consider his words.

The Detective had certainly been the one to suggest removing the LED, but it wasn’t out of malice or disgust. It was out of genuine concern for Connor’s wellbeing. That, and concern over how it would impact their case. It was also something he’d already considered doing himself.

“He suggested I remove it-“ Connor started, before instantly realising his mistake.

“Reed!” Hank bristled, face steadily reflecting his anger.

“For the case.” Connor quickly interrupted.

“For the case. Yeah right-“ Hank started, taking a step closer to Gavin- who instinctively took a step back.

“I agreed.” Connor spoke firmly. “I’d already considered the idea myself, Lieutenant.”

“Why?” Hank demanded.

“We both agreed that it would draw too much attention to ourselves.” Connor explained.

“And after that prick punched him-“ Gavin interjected.

“Like you give a sh-“ Hank started.

“We _both _decided it would be better to remove the LED. Until the case is solved.” Connor stepped between Gavin and Hank- noticing the attention the tense exchange was drawing.

“Both?” Hank took a deep breath. “You wanted to remove it?”

“I did. For now.” Connor smiled slightly, touched by the Lieutenant’s concern.

“For now.” Hank repeated to himself, before refocusing on Connor- and…smiling?

“Is everything alright?” Connor spoke up.

“Yeah, yeah.” Hank brushed off his concern, before looking up and down at both of their outfits. “The fuck are you two wearing?”

“Does it look strange?” Connor frowned.

“No. Not on _you, _at least.” Hank couldn’t resist a jab at Gavin.

A jab that, thankfully, the Detective didn’t respond to. Which was a miracle of restraint in and of itself.

“So this looks-“ Connor started.

“Looks good, son.” Hank awkwardly patted Connor’s shoulder, before taking a reluctant step back.

“I’ll go find Chris.” Gavin abruptly interrupted, before starting to wander off.

“Why-“ Connor started.

“Think you two need to talk.” Gavin gestured to Hank, before smiling awkwardly, and disappearing.

Once the Detective was out of earshot, Hank stepped forward again, and put both of his hands on Connor’s shoulders- expression one of silent, but genuine concern. Something which served to put a smile on his own face. Whilst awkward at times, the Lieutenant always thought of Connor before himself.

A selfless trait that he wished Hank would acknowledge more often. Not that Connor hadn’t tried.

“You ok?” Hank asked, tactfully keeping his voice down- aware of the attention Connor and Gavin’s entrance had brought. “That asshole-“

“I’m ok, Hank.” Connor let go of using the man’s formal title, just so he’d know he wasn’t bullshitting him.

Something he knew he should do more often.

“Ok.” Hank raised his hands in mock surrender, instantly getting rid of the last of the tension. “Sorry, Connor.”

“You don’t need to apologise, Lieutenant.” Connor reassured him. “You were…concerned.”

“That’s an understatement.” Hank crossed his arms.

“You don’t trust Detective Reed.”

“I don’t. Look, I know you said he apologised, but I’m not going to take that prick at his word.”

“I…don’t blame you.” 

“Needs to prove he means it.”

“I understand.”

“He treating you alright?”

“Yes-“

“Because if he says one more _fucking_-“

“We’re fine, Hank.”

“He’s been after you since the day you got here.”

“I know-“

“Never seen him be anything but an asshole to you.”

“Lieutenant-“

“He’s not going to change overnight, Connor. If he’s going to change at all.”

“He-“

“Someone like him doesn’t just f-“

“Hank.” Connor spoke firmly- in such a tone that it made the Lieutenant stop dead, and turned a few heads. “I can handle Gav….Detective Reed.”

“On a first name basis?” Hank seemed to be growing more irritated by the second.

“I am.” Connor confirmed.

“Connor-“ Hank started.

“Lieutenant.” Connor adopted the stern tone once more, not unlike the voice he normally reserved for interrogations. He hated using it with Hank, of all people, but he had to get the man to listen. “I know you don’t trust him. I won’t ask you to.”

“Then what-“ Hank interjected.

“I just need you to trust _me._” Connor overtook his words.

“You know I-“ Hank stopped himself, and took a moment to breathe, before continuing. “That’s not what you mean, I know. Fuck. Ok. You know what you’re doing.”

“I appreciate-“

“Doesn’t mean I’m not going to worry about you, son.”

“I know.”

* * *

**GAVIN P.O.V**

* * *

Slyly looking up from his mug of coffee, Gavin found his eyes wandering across the room once more…and right back to Connor. The android seemed more relaxed than he had been when Gavin ducked out, and it looked as if Anderson was finally cooling off as well. He couldn’t exactly blame the guy. He’d been an asshole to the two of them ever since Connor arrived. Hadn’t ever given them a reason to think otherwise. Hopefully he hadn’t done permanent damage. Gavin liked the idea of being able to talk to Hank without the guy jumping down his throat when he so much as glanced in Connor’s direction. Liked the idea of just talking to the guy, the way he had before the android arrived. They’d had an odd, almost friendship thing going on- but that was a long time ago.

Shaking his head, Gavin returned his focus to Connor. And, for the millionth fucking time that day, found himself getting lost. He still couldn’t get the image of the guy curled up on his couch out of his head. Couldn’t get a lot of images out of his head.

Taking another sip of coffee, in an effort to at least appear nonchalant, Gavin found his eyes roving over the android’s entire body. Until his eyes got steadily lower.

“Gavin!” Tina’s voice abruptly shocked Gavin out of his thoughts, enough that he almost choked on his coffee.

“The fuck was that for?” Gavin put the mug back down on the counter.

“Have you heard anything I’ve been saying for the past _five minutes?_” Tina asked incredulously.

“’Course he hasn’t!” Chris wandered over with a coffee for himself. “Too busy staring at Connor’s a-“

“Chris!” Gavin interrupted, before the guy could go any further.

“What?” Chris hid laughter behind a gulp of coffee.

“You can’t-“ Gavin started.

“Was he wrong?” Tina interrupted. “Were you looking at his ass? Or somewhere-?”

“This isn’t happening.” Gavin interrupted as he looked away, attempting to hide his red face behind the steam coming off his still-warm coffee.

“You didn’t deny it!” Tina cheered, almost a little too loudly.

“Fuck, I wasn’t-“ Gavin tried speaking.

“I mean, I can’t blame you. He’s pretty-“ Tina started.

“I’m not having this conversation with you.” Gavin turned away, letting a stream of curses out under his breath.

“But you are.” Chris leaned forward.

“No.” Gavin leaned back.

“Don’t be stubborn, we know you-“ Chris started.

“Reed!” Hank’s voice echoed across the station. “Get your ass over here.”

“The fuck-“ Gavin started.

“Lieutenant!” Connor protested, clearly uncomfortable with how Hank had chosen to address Gavin.

“Got to go.” Gavin took the opportunity to duck away.

“Okay, just remember this, Gavin.” Tina spoke firmly, grabbing Gavin’s shoulder.

“What?” Gavin turned back, at the change in her tone of voice.

“Connor’s eyes are up here.” Tina locked eyes with him.

“Fuck you.” Gavin pulled away, immediately noticing how Chris was doubled over in silent laughter.

“You love us really!” Tina called, as he practically jogged away.

_Not right now he didn’t._

* * *

**CONNOR P.O.V**

* * *

When Gavin wandered over, hands in his pockets and looking more than a little red-faced, Connor immediately found himself concerned- until he glanced over to Tina and Chris. Who were almost choking on their coffee with silent, unashamed laughter. Reassured by the sight, Connor immediately felt more at ease. Though he couldn’t deny he was curious to see what had them in stitches, and Gavin’s face an interesting shade of scarlet.

“Anderson.” Gavin cleared his throat.

“Reed.” Hank barely acknowledged him.

“Why-“ Gavin started.

“I was going to come over.” Connor tactfully interrupted. “But I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Wouldn’t have...” Gavin glanced sideways at Hank, and awkwardly left his sentence unfinished.

“Are you-“ Connor started.

“I’m good.” Gavin’s face finally started fading from tomato red into a more…reasonable shade. “Need me for something?”

“I just thought we should talk to Captain Fowler. He’s back in his office.” Connor explained. “We shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

“No, you shouldn’t.” Hank interjected. “Unless-“

“Unless _what, _Hank?” Fowler spoke loudly, as he opened his office door- drawing everyone’s attention.

“Nothing.” Hank feigned ignorance, raising his hands in mock surrender, in a way that made Connor smile…and made it hard for him to hold back his laughter.

“It’s never nothing with _you, _Hank.” Fowler raised an eyebrow.

“Well it is tonight, _Jeffrey._” Hank spoke mockingly.

“You’re lucky I don’t add that to your disciplinary folder.” Fowler huffed, but with no real malice behind the gesture.

“Lucky?” Hank turned round. “No, you just can’t get rid of me.”

“Don’t make me regret it.” Fowler shook his head, before focusing on Connor and Gavin. “Seeing as you two haven’t murdered each other yet, I’d like to see you in my office.”

Finding himself smiling at the brief banter between Fowler and Hank, Connor quickly made his way over to the captain’s office- idly glancing back a few times to make sure Gavin was following. And he was. But he was keeping a good amount of distance between them, and his eyes seemed to be looking anywhere _but _Connor.

Something which was clearly related to what Tina and Chris had said to Gavin just before he headed over, something that seemed to make their laughter more intense.

He’d have to ask the Detective what they were all laughing about- later.

Along with the 103932020 _other _questions he had yet to ask.

“Connor.” Fowler’s voice brought him back to reality.

“Yes, Captain?” Connor looked up, barely avoiding tripping over the steps to the man’s office, in the aftermath of another…zoning out.

“You doing ok?” Fowler asked, as he took a seat behind his desk.

“I’m ok.” Connor answered sincerely, taking one of the seats in front of the Captain when he gestured for him to sit down.

“Reed cooperating?” Fowler asked.

“He is.” Connor answered simply.

“You tell me if that changes.” Fowler spoke firmly, just as Gavin entered the office.

As soon as Gavin had taken his seat beside Connor, the door shutting behind him, Fowler leant forward. Adopting a serious expression, he held his hands clasped in front of him. His posture immediately became rigid and severe.

“I’ve been dealing with the missing student’s parents all fucking day.” Fowler started. “They refuse to cooperate.”

“Doesn’t surprise me.” Gavin shrugged, leaning back in his chair- though his expression remained serious.

“Tell me you two have something.” Fowler sighed. “_Anything._”

“We may have something.” Connor spoke tentatively. “A few things, actually.”

“Good. Start from the top.” Fowler nodded, gesturing for Connor to continue.

“We met the college’s President.” Connor started. “He seems…overly concerned.”

“Which is-“ Fowler paused, before frowning. “The parents don’t seem to care either way. Why does he?”

“That’s what we thought.” Gavin interjected.

“He mentioned that on the occasions he’s met with the Wayne’s, and Kaitlyn’s families, that they seemed to be…rather cold.” Connor continued. “Which we’ve seen first-hand from the Wayne’s.”

“Pricks.” Gavin mumbled.

“Can’t argue with that.” Fowler sighed. “Continue, Connor.”

“He says he took it upon himself to care, in their absence.” Connor concluded.

“Which is why he’s continuing the investigation.” Fowler nodded. “He tell you anything else?”

“Nothing that we don’t already know.” Gavin joined in the conversation. “Students were going home after the course on Friday, couple weeks back.”

“The cameras showed them walking into one of the empty lecture halls, and then…nothing.” Connor carried on. “Despite the fact they have multiple cameras installed throughout the building.”

“Like they knew where the cameras were.” Gavin added. “Did give us the footage of the day they went missing.”

“And footage covering their appearances up to a month before their disappearance.” Connor interjected.

“Think you can get anything from it?” Fowler questioned.

“Possibly.” Connor answered. “I can’t say for certain until I look at the footage myself.”

“Ok.” Fowler nodded, taking it all in. “They have multiple cameras. What about security?”

“They have devices installed in their doors, which detect concealed weapons.” Connor explained. “They connect wirelessly to a nearby computer, which determines the presence of weapons through a complex algorithm- which detects certain shapes and calculated weight. When a weapon is detected, it automatically alerts the police.”

“Almost as good as what we have here.” Fowler thought. “Ninety-nine point nine success rate. Expensive, but it is Detroit’s top college. Were they installed before or after the disappearance?”

“Before. Had them for a while.” Gavin spoke up.

“Ok. With that, they technically don’t need physical security.” Fowler thought for a moment, before continuing. “He say anything about why the parents waited a month before contacting us?”

“Thought the President told you he didn’t want to run a typical investigation?” Gavin frowned. “Something about donors with too much fucking money invested?”

“That’s what he told me. But I have reason to doubt that was the truth.” Fowler explained.

“Reason to doubt?” Connor pursued.

“Sounded like he was reading off a script. Combine that with what you’ve told me, and-“ Fowler started.

“Doesn’t add up.” Gavin surmised.

“Maybe he was trying to move the attention off of the parents.” Fowler shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“It’s strange. He seemed genuine when he was speaking with us.” Connor frowned.

“Just another fucking mystery to add to this-“ Fowler took a deep breath. “Moving on. Anything else stand out?”

“He gave us these tablets.” Connor withdrew his from his bag, and slid it across the desk to Fowler. Something Gavin quickly copied, carefully putting his own up there. 

“Said it has our schedules, details of our new identities, and full access to their records.” Gavin added.

“He gave you that willingly?” Fowler looked surprised.

“Didn’t sit right with us either.” Gavin picked up on Fowler’s suspicion.

“I’ll send them to the techs. Make sure there’s nothing on there that shouldn’t be.” Fowler carefully put the tablets aside. “Standard procedure. Moving on…anything else pop out?”

“His secretary.” Gavin was the first to speak up.

“Secretary?” Fowler looked intrigued. “Why’s she of interest?”

“She was a bi-“ Gavin started.

“She was…unpleasant.” Connor tactfully spoke over Gavin.

“Unpleasant?” Fowler pursued.

“Hostile, towards Connor.” Gavin explained. “Ran a scan, social media pages indicate she’s been involved with several hate groups.”

“Hostile towards Connor. Connected to hate groups.” Fowler repeated, before looking awkward. “That hatred directed towards androids?”

“It is.” Connor answered simply. “The pages aren’t active, but the…language she used suggests she may be meeting with the members of those groups in person.”

“But we can’t bring her in.” Gavin looked irritated. “No proof she’s still involved.”

“Just speculation.” Fowler surmised. “But well deserved. Keep an eye on her. I’ll see if we can dig anything up. Sorry you had to deal with that on your first day.”

“I’m used to it, Captain.” Connor smiled awkwardly, hoping his expression would hide how much it had **_actually_** bothered him.

“Shouldn’t be.” Fowler pointedly glanced towards Gavin, who Connor noticed immediately looked away.

“I know. But I’m ok, honestly.” Connor reassured the Captain. “May we continue?”

“Of course.” Fowler cleared his throat. “Anything-“

“Guy mentioned the missing kids’ parents tried to find them themselves.” Gavin sat up straight.

“Didn’t mention that when he contacted me.” Fowler frowned. “Continue.”

“When they were unsuccessful, they approached the College President, and asked if he would contact our department on their behalf.” Connor explained.

“Why not go direct-“ Fowler started, before thinking for a moment, and pausing. “Think I know why. Go on.”

“Assholes disagree with androids holding _‘permanent, formally employed positions’_.” Gavin added in.

“A lot of that going around.” Fowler glanced at Gavin, though his expression indicated he was surprised by the Detective’s show of concern.

“They were considering going to a private investigator before this, but we have more…power, as he worded it.” Connor redirected the conversation before it could spiral. “He did actually mention the donors. He doesn’t want to lose their support, but purely so the state of the art facilities at the College can be available for as long as possible.”

“You believed him?” Fowler seemed surprised.

“I believe he was sincere.” Connor confirmed.

“Gavin?” Fowler pursued.

“Connor says he believes him.” Gavin shrugged. “Good enough for me.”

“Really?” Fowler seemed surprised, but quickly refocused. “He’s being very generous.”

“He is. Which…doesn’t seem right.” Connor frowned.

“Being a bit _too _generous.” Fowler agreed. “Nothing else stand out?”

“No. We were able to ask the course students about our missing ones, but they all believe they’re dealing with a…family illness.”

“They tell you anything about what our students were like?” Fowler pursued.

“Not much.” Gavin interjected.

“None of them really knew Damian and Kaitlyn.” Connor elaborated.

“Kept to themselves.” Gavin thought for a moment, before continuing. “Never missed a class.”

“Nothing else?” Fowler looked disappointed.

“Nothing.” Gavin was equally as disappointed.

“But we may be able to find some more information.” Connor sat up straight.

“Go on.” Fowler looked intrigued.

“G-“ Connor cleared his throat. “Detective Reed suggested we host a…”

“House party. At the apartment we’ve been given. Saying it out loud sounds pretty fucking stupid.” Gavin looked a little red-faced.

“Oldest trick in the book. Get people drunk, they’ll tell you anything.” Fowler looked mildly impressed. “Good call, Reed. When will the party take place?”

“Friday. Figured more people would show up when there’s nothing to get up for in the morning.” Gavin explained.

“Not bad.” Fowler nodded. “It’s something. You two get a chance to look around?”

“We did, after our class concluded.” Connor leaned forward. “We examined the lecture hall where they were last seen, before their disappearance.”

“Find anything?” Fowler looked mildly hopeful.

“Nothing.” Gavin ran his hands down his own face, looking extremely irritated. “Did look just outside.”

“I scanned for nearby security devices. The ones I found nearby automatically delete all their footage after a twenty-four-hour cycle.” Connor elaborated, “Unless they detect anything suspicious.”

“So, we have nothing.” Fowler surmised.

“Maybe.” Connor produced the dirty ring, carefully sealed away in its little Ziploc bag. “We found this buried underneath a few layers of dirt. It’s…”

“Looks expensive. Has some kind of shield on it.” Gavin continued, as Fowler carefully took the bag from Connor. “Seems like the kind of thing the missing kids’ asshole parents would give them. Or wear themselves. Pricks.”

“You couldn’t get anything from this?” Fowler looked towards Connor.

“I couldn’t examine it properly when we found it. We were at risk of being discovered.” Connor explained.

“A lot of foot traffic around there.” Gavin concluded.

“Alright.” Fowler nodded. “I’ll send this down to forensics so you two can get started on that footage. Get the fucking thing cleaned up. Dust for prints. When it’s ready, I’ll get them to send it back up. If it is relevant to our case…well. Cross that bridge when we get to it. That cover everything?”

“I believe so. I’m sorry we don’t have any further evidence to present.” Connor apologised.

“It’s ok. This is a difficult case.” Fowler spoke calmly. “We’ve been brought in late. Just got to hope it’s not _too _late.”

“I hope so too.” Connor noticed the newly sombre atmosphere.

One which Captain Fowler fortunately broke, something Connor was grateful for. If he thought for too long on the infinite possible outcomes of the case, he’d start seeing simulations of those outcomes. And that was something he definitely didn’t need.

“In any case, we’ve got more than we had yesterday.” Fowler continued. “But we can’t keep having days like today. We need more information. And until I have evidence to get a warrant to force the parents to cooperate…”

“We’re back at square one.” Gavin concluded.

“Pretty much.” Fowler confirmed, taking a few deep breaths before continuing. “You two take a look at that footage. Then you should head to this apartment. Need you two at your best if we’re going to solve this.”

“Of course.” Connor smiled slightly.

“You’re free to go…” Fowler started. “But I need Reed to hang back for a moment.”

“I-“ Connor started.

He paused, and glanced sideways at Gavin, before continuing.

“Yes, Captain. I’ll be at my desk.”


	3. Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor and Gavin experience their first day on the Love in Literature course, and begin their investigation in full. What will they find?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d like to dedicate this part to caffeinateddetective, who I mentioned in the Author's Note of the previous chapter. They’re going through a tough time, and are always there for me and have helped me with LIL for as long as I can remember. So, my friend, this is for you.
> 
> Yes, this is Part 3 of First Day. To be clear, this Part is split into 3, because otherwise you'd have to scroll through 65 pages in one sitting.
> 
> SO THIS IS CHAPTER 3 OF THOSE 3 CHAPTERS!!!

* * *

**GAVIN P.O.V**

* * *

When Connor reluctantly exited the office, shooting a concerned look in Gavin’s direction as the closed the door behind him, Gavin let out a breath he didn’t even realise he’d been holding- but quickly managed to refocus. Bracing himself for whatever lecture was likely coming his way, he turned to face Captain Fowler, whose face had slipped into a familiar cold and stern expression. Something Gavin had seen one too many times. It was never a good thing, when the Captain looked at you like that.

Fuck.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck _fuck **fuck.**_

“Gavin.” Fowler spoke up.

“Captain.” Gavin found more than a couple of nerves building in the back of his head.

“You went a whole fifteen minutes without insulting Connor.” Fowler continued.

“And that’s a bad thing?” Gavin raised an eyebrow.

_Fuck._

**Bad choice.**

“Don’t sass me, Reed. I am not in the mood.” Fowler leaned forward.

Definitely a bad choice.

“…yes, Captain.” Gavin cleared his throat awkwardly.

“You apologise? For being an-“ Fowler started.

“I know I was being an asshole, alright?” Gavin felt himself getting more irritated by the second.

“About time you acknowledged that.” Fowler’s body language softened.

“…I know.” Gavin admitted.

“But you apologised?” Fowler pursued.

“I did.” Gavin confirmed.

“What did Connor say?” Fowler leant forward, clearly concerned for the android.

Definitely couldn’t fault the Captain on his compassion.

Even if he had a pretty fucking strange way of showing it.

“He accepted it.” Gavin answered, after taking a moment to think.

“Just like that?” Fowler seemed surprised.

“Just like that.” Gavin shrugged.

“Really?” Fowler repeated.

“Really.” Gavin barely managed to hold in the irritation.

“I’m surprised. But I’m pleased the two of you worked things out. Would have been a pain in the ass to keep an eye on you when I’ve got these parents breathing down my neck.” Fowler shook his head. “Might have a harder time getting Hank to believe that you mean it. I still find it pretty hard to believe you just up and apologised.”

“I know, I got lucky.” Gavin looked back up, focusing on the Captain.

“It’s progress.” Fowler finally leaned back. “But if I hear you say one more fucking insult-“

“I’m dead?” Gavin interjected, trying to get rid of some of the tension.

“You’re dead, Reed.” Fowler barely managed to hide a chuckle, having to take a moment before carrying on. “Now, I want you two checking in at the end of each day. However long it takes to solve this case. But don’t-“

“Take too long?” Gavin interjected. “I know. We’ll find them.”

“If anyone can...” Fowler stood up. “It’s you and Connor.”

“Is that a compliment-“ Gavin started.

“Don’t push your luck.”

“…yes, Captain.”

* * *

**CONNOR P.O.V**

* * *

When Gavin finally exited Fowler’s office, and started heading over, Connor saw Hank instantly tense up opposite- not too subtly keeping an eye on the Detective from behind his own computer monitor. Choosing to set that aside for the time being, as he knew the Lieutenant’s concern came from a well meaning place, Connor allowed a smile to make its way onto his face. Pushing his chair back slightly from his desk, he turned to greet Gavin- whose own face brightened as he came to stand beside Connor.

“What did Captain Fowler have to say?” Connor spoke up, as the Detective sat on the edge of his desk.

“Just checking in.” Gavin offered, awkwardly- glancing back at the Captain’s office for a moment- before his focus returned to Connor.

“Checking you didn’t end up killing-“ Hank started, clearly having been listening in.

“Lieutenant.” Connor spoke firmly.

“It’s alright.” Gavin shrugged, attempting to appear nonchalant. “Guess I deserve it.”

“You guess?” Hank asked incredulously.

“Look-“ Gavin took a deep breath. “I deserve it. Fuck. Happy now, Anderson?”

“Almost.” Hank raised an eyebrow. “It’s a start.”

When the Lieutenant’s focus returned to the pile of paperwork across his own desk, Connor looked up at Gavin. The man was clearly uncomfortable with the exchange, but was tactfully choosing not to bring it up, whilst Hank was around.

“Gavin-“ Connor started.

“Let’s just-“ Gavin cleared his throat. “The footage. Find anything?”

“Not yet. I’m still sorting through the files. Nothing stands out.” Connor answered.

“Hope we find something.”

“If we don’t-“

“Cross that bridge when we get to it.”

“That’s…a wise decision.”

As the two of them fixated on the computer monitor, watching the reels of footage flicker on the screen, Connor glanced upwards at Gavin. The Detective was pointedly leaning away from him, likely out of a desire to avoid any confrontation with the Lieutenant. Knowing the entire situation, however much Gavin deserved it for their chequered past, was going to have an impact on the Detective, Connor took a deep breath- and did something he’d been longing to do for some time.

_Sure, he’d tried it briefly, and Gavin had even initiated it a few times- but he’d never done it himself._

Quickly glancing up to check that Hank was fully engrossed in his own work, Connor quietly reached out with his right hand. Finding that it trembled, something he’d never truly noticed on himself, he braced himself. Ever mindful of their surroundings, Connor placed his hand on Gavin’s leg- just above his knee.

He couldn’t quite bring himself to go beyond that. However much he wished to. It was far too early in their tentative relationship- if it could even be considered anything near that- to try anything further.

The motion surprised Gavin, but the man somehow managed to hide his shock. With eyes wide, he looked down…and then looked towards Connor. When their eyes became locked, staring into one another, he started moving his hand away, only to find himself surprised. Gavin reached out with his right hand, also keeping an eye on Hank- and placed it on top of Connors.

As their fingers interlaced, Connor felt the strange ache in his chest return, accompanied by his thirium pump skipping more than a few beats. It was…as close to a perfect moment as they could get, with so many eyes roving around the room.

When Gavin’s face began turning red once more, the Detective quickly returned his focus to the screen.

It took Connor a few seconds before he could bring himself to do the same.

* * *

A short time later, attributed to Connor linking up with the computer, the two of them were forced to lean back- and reluctantly unlink their hands. Despite the overabundance of high-quality footage, they were unable to find anything of note. It simply showed the two missing students going about their daily college routine, with nothing to indicate they were in distress. They’d, once again, found absolutely nothing.

And it was…_infuriating,_ to say the least. 

Reporting back to Captain Fowler that their search had yielded no results was even more difficult. Draining, almost.

Connor was used to being able to discover clues within seconds of showing up at the scene of a crime or receiving tangled files, so to find himself at another dead end was extremely rare.

Even with the complexity of the Deviancy case, he’d still been able to find a fair collection of clues and vital details at his and Hank’s first crime scene.

Connor hoped this case wouldn’t be a labyrinth of dead ends.

“Connor?” Gavin’s voice brought everything back into focus- which Connor was grateful for.

In more ways than one.

“Still in there?” Gavin waved his hand in front of Connor’s face.

“I’m here.” Connor spoke, blinking rapidly.

It was an empty gesture, but it served to bring him back into reality.

“Good.” Gavin hopped off Connor’s desk, stumbling slightly- but quickly recovering. “Fuck. So, still got nothing.”

“Not necessarily.” Connor attempted to be optimistic. “We may still get results from the ring we discovered earlier.”

“Maybe.” Gavin shrugged. “Hope we don’t have to wait too long.”

“It’s a delicate process.” Connor pointed out.

“Can’t you-“ Gavin started.

“Trust me, Reed. You don’t want to see how he handles forensics.” Hank spoke up. “Fucking Cyberlife...”

“Do I want to know?” Gavin sounded amused.

“I’m…not sure.” Connor spoke awkwardly.

Before Gavin could question the matter further, a tired looking latent tech wandered over, pulling nervously on their badge-covered lab coat as they walked. They were clearly uncomfortable with being asked to come up to the department’s central hub. Which brought a new level of concern to Connor’s mind. The quiet analysts usually kept to the relative peace and quiet of their labs, preferring to avoid the busier areas of the DPD whenever and wherever possible.

“Detective Reed.” The tech stopped a short distance away. “Detective Anderson.”

Noting the smile that crept onto Hank’s face, as the tech spoke to himself and Gavin, Connor found himself smiling- but that expression quickly vanished when he returned his focus to the agitated analyst. Their expression, beyond the exhaustion, was grave.

Which could mean any number of things- _but none of them good_.

“Yes?” Connor refocused, noticing Gavin doing the same.

“The evidence you brought in is pretty badly damaged.” The tech explained. “Weather damage, few small fragments missing from the overall structure.”

“Will you be able to find anything?” Connor asked, tactfully keeping his voice low.

“Can’t say for sure. One of our guys has run it through some scans, and he’s making a 3d model to fill in the missing fragments. Once we’ve got that, we should be able to discover what the shield emblem symbolises.” The tech continued. “Other than that, we’ve got a very small, partial print. Not sure if we’ll be able to fix that.”

“I see. When can we expect to see any results?” Connor asked.

“Probably a day or two.” The tech sighed. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Gavin surprised them both by speaking up.

“Just…let us know as soon as you have anything.” Connor smiled, attempting to ease the analyst’s nerves.

“Of course.” The tech nodded gratefully. “Goodnight, Detectives.”

As soon as they were out of earshot, Gavin groaned dramatically, running his hands down his face in a display of mock despair.

It took everything Connor had not to laugh.

“No luck?” Hank noticed the display.

“Fuck!” Gavin cursed.

“Take that as a yes.” Hank hid his laughter behind a mug of coffee that he was slowly drinking.

“We don’t have anything.” Connor confirmed.

“You’ll find something.” Hank offered. “I know you will. And as much as I hate your fucking guts, Reed, you’re not a complete failure at your job.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Anderson.” Gavin slid his hands into his trouser pockets.

“You’re welcome.” Hank resumed drinking his coffee for a moment, before continuing. “You two heading out?”

“We need to examine our…apartment.” Connor sunk back in his chair.

“Still not ha-“ Hank started.

“We’ll…I’ll be alright, Lieutenant.” Connor quickly interrupted, mindful of the underlying tension.

“You sure?” Hank asked.

“I’m sure.” Connor smiled.

“Alright.” Hank shrugged, before focusing on Gavin. “You say one more fucking thing-“

“You’ll kill me?” Gavin offered.

“You’re not a complete dumb-“ Hank started.

“Lieutenant.” Connor spoke firmly.

“Alright, alright.” Hank put down his mug, and raised his hands in mock surrender. “Just…let me know when you get there, Connor.”

“I will.” Connor reassured him.

As he and Gavin stood up, and slung their bags over their respective shoulders, Connor looked around the room. It was remarkably emptier than it had been when they first arrived, and judging by the darkness behind the windows, more time had passed than either of them had realized. Even Chris and Tina were long gone, forced to return to their nightly patrols.

Which meant they only had a handful of hours left to get to their apartment, acclimatize, and rest- before they did it all again tomorrow.

“Come on, Connor.” Gavin was the first of the two of them to speak up.

“I know.” Connor adjusted his jacket, before turning to Hank. “I’ll keep you updated, Lieutenant.”

“Appreciate it.” Hank smiled slightly. “I just worry about you.”

“I know. I’ll be fine.” Connor reassured him. “Don’t stay longer than necessary, Hank.”

“I won’t, son.” Hank waved him off, as he returned to his paperwork. “Can’t leave Sumo for too much longer anyway.”

Finding himself smiling at the mention of the lovable canine, Connor felt a slight relief to the tension and nerves that had built up in his systems over the course of the day.

Whilst he had become accustomed to working on high-profile cases, since becoming deviant he had found they affected him more and more. He attributed it to being able to feel that much more.

“Connor!” Gavin called, standing on the other side of the room, once again serving as a way for him to refocus.

“I’m coming!” Connor raised his voice a little, not wanting to disturb those who were still chipping away at their work. He paused to say goodbye to Hank- he never left work without doing so. “I’ll speak with you tomorrow, Lieutenant.”

“Sounds good.” Hank smiled slightly. “Goodnight, Connor.”

“Goodnight, Hank.” Connor found himself smiling.

He kept that smile on his face, as he headed across the room to Gavin. Who was waiting patiently, leaning against the wall as he idly scrolled through something on his phone- with a lazy smile on his face.

A smile that stretched ear to ear, when he looked up and saw Connor approaching- and hastily shoved his phone in his jacket pocket.

“Let’s go.” Gavin walked with a spring in his step- waving to the receptionists as they passed by.

Still wearing that lopsided, endearing smile.

_With the slightest hint of **that** dimple._

* * *

As Gavin navigated the car out of the parking lot, Connor began to feel just how long the day had been. How long the past 2 days had been, in fact. Not even 72 hours earlier, Gavin had practically been at his throat, slinging insult after insult in his direction.

Yet here they were now, almost like none of that had ever happened, sinking deeper and deeper into a case that seemed to be spiralling out of control, constantly forcing them into dead end after dead end.

_It was-_

“Connor!” Gavin’s voice interrupted his thoughts, for the umpteenth time that day.

“Yes, Det-“ Connor paused, before remembering that they were no longer at the DPD- and therefore had no reason to call one another by their formal titles. “Gavin?”

“We don’t have any food.” Gavin answered simply. “I’m pretty fucking hungry.”

“What should we do? It’s getting late.” Connor turned to face his partner.

“Could see if a diner or something’s open.” Gavin suggested. “Know a place-“

“I could make something…for us.” Connor spoke up, tentatively.

“You cook?” Gavin seemed intrigued. “Did they…uh…give you that, or…fuck. That came out wrong.”

“It’s alright.” Connor found himself struggling not to laugh, as the man stumbled over his words. “I’ve been able to teach myself through information that I’ve discovered-“

“Short answer?” Gavin asked awkwardly, the exhaustion in his face slowly becoming evident. “You know what? Just…ignore me, dipshit.”

“I don’t mind.” Connor reassured him. “We’ve had a long day. And it’s not likely to get any easier from this point forward.”

“Thanks…Connor.” Gavin cleared his throat, before returning his focus to the road ahead. “You ok to…cook? Can just order something.”

“We could. But I wouldn’t advise we make a habit of it.” Connor leant back in his seat. “Too much can be detrimental to-“

“Says the guy who can eat whatever the fuck he wants.” Gavin shook his head, before realising how the sentence had sounded. “I’m just-“

“Making an attempt at humour?” Connor suggested.

“Making an attempt?” Gavin repeated, eyebrow raised.

“You made an effort.” Connor joked.

“Fuck you.” Gavin laughed good-naturedly.

Connor quickly swallowed the less than innocent reply that instantly came to mind.

_For the time being._

“So…” Gavin spoke up again.

“I can cook.” Connor repeated. “I don’t mind.”

“Alright.” Gavin shrugged, the hint of a smile on his face, before continuing. “I can…uh…make dessert?”

“You don’t have to-“ Connor started.

“I want to, dipshit.” Gavin interrupted, smile returning.

“Then…I’d like that.” Connor felt a burst of thirium rush to his face- and saw Gavin’s own skin flushing slightly red in response to the ultraviolet blush that Connor knew was shining in his face.

“I-“ Gavin cleared his throat, looking away from Connor.

“Are you alright?” Connor asked gently.

“No, I’m good.” Gavin pointedly kept his gaze away.

“Is something-“ Connor paused, and thought for a moment.

“Your face, uh-“ Gavin stumbled over his words.

“The…” Connor realised what Gavin meant, and he felt his heart begin to sink. “The thirium. If that reaction disturbs you, Detective, I should be able to-“

“No, that’s not-fuck!” Gavin quickly returned his focus to Connor, looking more than a little embarrassed. “That’s not what I meant, dipshit.”

“Then what did you mean?” Connor pursued, still confused.

“Never seen you do that.” Gavin stopped for a moment, to think. “Looks…good?”

“Are you asking me or telling me, Gavin?” Connor questioned, finding it hard not to smile.

“…both?” Gavin spoke tentatively.

The way the line was delivered, combined with the uncertain look on Gavin’s face, finally made Connor let out all the tension that had been building over the course of the day- by slipping into a loud fit of laughter.

Something that the Detective instantly joined in. They both knew that what Gavin said wasn’t exactly the pinnacle of comedy, but it was clear they both needed something to laugh at, after the day they’d had.

Just as Gavin was beginning to wheeze with laughter again, Connor finally regained control of himself- finding that the blue blush had remained on his face as a result. Just as he was about to ask if the Detective was alright, the expression on the man’s face changed in an instant- and dramatically. He looked as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Are you-“ Connor started, concerned.

“If I don’t eat something, I’m going to shoot the next prick that-“ Gavin started.

“That’s a little dramatic.” Connor pointed out.

“Can never be too dramatic when food is involved, dipshit.” Gavin raised an eyebrow, mockingly serious.

“That still seems excessive.” Connor frowned.

“It’s food, Connor.” Gavin continued.

“…was that another attempt at humour?” Connor realised, finding a smile creeping back onto his face.

“Fuck you.” Gavin returned his focus to the road.

“Glad-“ Connor quickly stopped himself, backtracking before the Detective could question where he was going with that statement. “Where should we go?”

“Connor?”

“For the food.”

“Oh…right.”

“The Lieutenant normally-“

“No, we are not going there.”

“I didn’t even tell you where-“

“That college President prick gave us that card, right?”

“Correct.”

“Then we should spend it.”

“On food?”

“Why the fuck not?”

“…you have a point.”

* * *

When they pulled up outside the most expensive food store they could find, discovered with a quick internet search, Connor found himself slightly stunned. Partly due to the fact that it was still open at whatever the hour was, but mostly because of how the store looked. The exterior was so luxurious it could almost be compared to a luxury hotel- all modern architecture and gleaming windows. With delicate framework and edging, and not a single shred of material out of place, it looked almost…strange…when Connor compared it to the places he and Hank normally frequented.

It wasn’t unlike a modern sculpture, infinitely more opulent than it needed to be- a display of excess wealth.

_…that he and Gavin were about to take advantage of._

“This place just looks like it’s made of cash.” Gavin broke the silence.

“I agree, it’s certainly-“

“Which means the food is good.” Gavin interrupted.

“Gavin-“ Connor stumbled over his words, as the Detective practically leaped out of the car.

“Come on, dipshit.” Gavin ducked down, to look Connor in the eye. “Might as well make the most of it.”

* * *

As he and Gavin stepped through the glossy automatic doors, and into the store itself, Connor found himself stunned into silence. The building was far vaster on the inside than the gaudy exterior had indicated, with aisle after aisle of luxury food stretching as far as the eye could see. Aisles that were meticulously arranged, with even the signs reflecting the price of the goods- on which letters had been etched with delicate cursive. It almost didn’t seem real.

“Hurry the fuck up!” Gavin shattered the peace as he caught Connor’s attention, ignoring how the crass wording made the suited doorman cringe.

“I’m coming!” Connor headed after the Detective, offering an apologetic glance in the guard’s direction.

“Stuck here for however long this will take.” Gavin spoke, as he placed his phone on an automatic shopping cart.

If it could even be called a cart- it looked like something out of a science fiction movie, sleek in its minimalistic style.

“Where should we start?” Connor spoke up, as he walked up to Gavin’s side.

“Didn’t think that far.” Gavin admitted.

“Perhaps it would help if we planned ahead.” Connor started.

“So…we come up with a fucking menu?” Gavin tilted his head slightly. “Alright. I know you like pepperoni pizza, but we can’t….we could-“

“We can’t eat pizza for every meal. It would-“

“Have an adverse effect on my cholesterol levels?”

“…yes.”

“Fine.”

“That was easy.”

“For you. Fuck.”

“Are you alright?”

“Think I just died on the inside.”

“That’s a little dramatic.”

“I’m trying to make you laugh, dipshit.”

“Then you’ll have to try harder.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“It may be.”

“Alright. Challenge fucking accepted.”

“I have a feeling I may regret this.”

“Can’t back out now, Connor.”

“I’m aware.”

* * *

**GAVIN P.O.V**

* * *

Several minutes had passed, and Connor had yet to laugh at one of his jokes. Either Gavin’s sense of humour had gone to shit thanks to Chris and Tina, or the android had a fucking iron will. He hoped it was the latter.

The others would never let him live it down if it got out that his comedic skills had flown out the window.

He could try puns- they were always reliable- but Gavin suspected that Connor wouldn’t find that funny either. Or that he’d just respond with some detailed, smart-ass comment.

What could he-

Gavin found himself shocked out of his thoughts, when his face collided with something.

_ **Hard.** _

Immediately recoiling, Gavin found that he’d walked straight into an elaborately carved, sculpture-like column. That, in hindsight, was easy to avoid- it wasn’t as if it was in the centre of the pathway.

Inwardly cursing, dreading the bruise that was likely to spread across his nose as a result, Gavin turned to look at Connor, ready to lose what little remained of his dignity…

Only to see the android doubled over in _near silent_ laughter, having to lean on the automated cart for support.

He was blue in the face with the force of each laugh, tears streaming from his eyes.

“The fuck, Connor?” Gavin blinked rapidly to clear the daze from his eyes.

“I apologise-“ Connor barely managed to get a few words out before slipping into another fit of laughter.

He’d never seen the android laugh like that before.

“So my jokes don’t get a fucking smile, but me walking into that thing-“ Gavin took a deep breath.

“It was so easy to avoid-” Connor attempted to catch his breath- even though he technically didn’t need to do that- only to ultimately fail.

“Yeah, yeah, just fucking-“ Gavin took another deep breath. “Come on, Connor.”

“I will, if…” Connor finally straightened up, still wearing a barely withheld smile on his face.

“If?” Gavin pursued.

“If you can promise not to assault the store any further.” Connor tilted his head slightly.

“Fuck you.” Gavin turned away, starting to feel a blush coming onto his face.

“I believe you’ve said that multiple times today.” Connor focused entirely on Gavin. “Is there something you’re trying to tell me, Gavin?”

Finding himself suddenly frozen in shock, at what the android had said, Gavin tried to come up with some kind of reply- but fell short. _How the fuck was he supposed to respond to that?_

With a _yeah, actually?_

Anderson would kill him.

With a _just tell me when and where?_

Definitely not.

With a _thought you’d never ask?_

If the other options didn’t scare Connor away, that one definitely would.

Just as he was weighing up his options, Gavin saw Connor’s face slowly start to turn blue. It only took a few seconds before the android’s face was practically iridescent. Which meant that what he had just said, and the implications of it, had finally caught up to him.

Gavin couldn’t work out if he was relieved or not.

“I apologise, Detective.” Connor adopted Gavin’s formal title, likely as a way to distract from the absolute fucking bombshell he’d just let loose. “That was inappropriate.”

“Don’t mention it.” Gavin shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant- though doing so hurt more than he could have ever thought possible. “Fuck. I mean it.”

“You do?”

“Don’t want Anderson kicking down my door.”

“Oh…right.”

Not wanting the hurt to show itself on his face, Gavin forced himself to turn away from Connor, and move his mind away from the reel of…interesting images that had flooded his brain.

* * *

**CONNOR P.O.V**

* * *

When a good few minutes passed by with neither of them speaking a word, Connor felt the odd ache in his chest start to return. He couldn’t find the strength to push it away. After all, no matter how much he privately wished for that statement to yield some kind of action from Gavin, it was still incredibly inappropriate.

_Completely and utterly out of line._

Especially when Connor considered the fact that they’d only just started getting to know one another.

That they still had so much more _left_ to learn.

Truly, he’d barely scratched the surface on the mystery that was Gavin Reed.

And he may have just jeopardized what little they had.

All with a simple, albeit crude, joke.

“Gavin.” Connor cleared his throat, gaining the Detective’s attention. “I wanted to apol-“

“Already did.” Gavin shrugged, before tossing another luxurious looking cake into the cart.

“It was inappropriate-“

“Connor-“

“I was out of line-“

“Connor!”

The stern tone of Gavin’s voice slowed Connor to a halt, literally and figuratively- he came to a stop quickly, barely remembering to avoid the column that had been in his path.

“...Yes?” Connor eventually spoke up, noticing that the Detective was waiting for him to respond.

“I’ve said worse shit to you.” Gavin spoke sincerely, before working a lopsided grin onto his face. “Figured I can give you a pass on that one.”

“You’re not upset?” Connor pursued.

“Why would I be?” Gavin questioned.

Why would he be, indeed.

Offering a smile in response, Connor watched as the Detective’s body language instantly relaxed.

A sight that finally made the painful ache in his chest go away…

Though it didn’t leave without an accompaniment of stutters from his thirium pump.

* * *

Thankfully, after their brief exchange, the tension surrounding them seemed to have dissipated. Something that Connor was grateful for. He couldn’t imagine navigating the rest of the case with that hanging over them. nor could he imagine where it would have left them after their case had concluded. It would have been a monumental loss, for their relationship to end over something as ultimately trivial as a crass joke.

No matter how much truth was in Connor’s statement.

“Connor!” Gavin’s voice saved him from his own thoughts.

“Yes?” Connor headed over to the Detective, followed dutifully by the automated cart.

“What the fuck is **_this_**?” Gavin’s voice audibly cracked on the **this**, as he shoved a food package in Connor’s direction, looking visibly disgusted.

Confused by his partner’s adverse reaction, Connor opened his mouth to retort- only to have the multitude of words at his disposal ultimately fail him, when he examined what was in his hands.

“Caviar…” Connor frowned at the next word. “Fondue?”

“_Who- who eats this shit?_” Gavin asked incredulously, a hint of laughter in his voice.

“I’m…not sure.”

“You’d have to be high as a fucking kite to eat something like that.”

“I…agree. It has no appeal.”

“Caviar fondue.”

“Caviar fondue.”

“I mean, can think of someone who’d eat that.”

“Who could possibly-“

“My prick of a brother.”

“He’d…eat this?”

“Guy’s an asshole, so makes sense he has shit taste.”

“Was that a joke?”

“Did it make you laugh?”

“…does a smile count?”

“It’s something.”

* * *

“Gavin, I believe I may have found something.” Connor spoke, after a few minutes of silence.

“What?” Gavin turned round, having previously been examining a box of ice cream with great focus.

“Something…worse…than caviar fondue.” Connor found himself mildly repulsed.

“The _fuck _could be worse than-“ Gavin started.

“Caviar and cream cheese gelato.” Connor interrupted.

“Think I just threw up in mouth.” Gavin heaved slightly.

“That’s…no. I…do believe that reaction is justified.” Connor found it increasingly hard to control his laughter.

“…we should try it.” Gavin suggested.

“Why?” Connor questioned.

“…I don’t know.” Gavin thought for a moment, before his eyes lit up. “We could give it to Chris.”

“I’m not certain he’d wish to-“

“Tell him its…fuck, I don’t know…vanilla or some shit?”

“I don’t want to be responsible for the death of a fellow officer.”

“Technically, we’re-“

“Are you attempting to dissect my joke, Detective?”

“That was a joke?”

“There’s no use feigning interest. I was able to detect a smile on your face.”

“…shit.”

* * *

Whilst their constant bewilderment at the vast array of peculiar items did slow them down more than he had anticipated, Connor found himself enjoying the venture. More than he’d likely ever be able to convey. There was something oddly blissful, about moving from the often-stressful nature of their jobs, to something simple and domestic. Something as mundane and repetitive as grocery shopping. It was, in part, due to the company.

_Perhaps **more** than just in part._

But Connor knew that. He couldn’t bring himself to imagine what the task, and by proxy their case, would have been without Gavin at his side. Without the Detective offering terribly executed puns and jokes at every corner. Without him almost walking into practically every column, constantly distracted by something new.

Connor found the ache in his chest return, as he went back to observing his new partner. Gavin was clearly having the time of his life, reacting mostly in disgust to a lot of the items on display. It was oddly endearing how much he seemed to be enjoying the experience.

He found himself hoping that they’d have more moments like this in the future.

Moments to share.

With _Gavin_.

* * *

After a long, yet never tedious process, Connor found himself and Gavin at the end of the last aisle in the store. One dedicated entirely to varying kinds of alcohol, gleaming in an array of oddly shaped bottles, and arranged methodically on gleaming shelves. It was oddly alluring, seeing the light reflect off of the alcohol- and the whiskey in particular- but Connor had to tactfully steer them away from it all.

Drinking, whilst tempting, and despite his experience with vodka, could certainly wait until Friday.

Not that he intended to drink much.

After all, it was a party with a…purpose. Designed solely to glean any kind of information they could discover about their missing students. The very reason he and Gavin were there at all.

“Gavin-“ Connor spoke up, when he noticed the Detective gazing wistfully at a bottle of whiskey in his hand.

“I know.” Gavin reluctantly put the bottle back.

“We’ll have to return later-“

“For the party. I know.”

When they slipped into an uncomfortable quiet, Connor forced his scrambled systems to reconnect, in an effort to find something to fill in the silence.

“Did we miss anything?” Connor questioned, inwardly agonizing over how awkward he sounded.

“Give me a-“ Gavin paused, before a lopsided grin worked its way onto his face. “Forgot one thing.”

“What did we-“ Connor started.

“Cart surfing.” Gavin stepped closer.

“Cart…surfing? I’m unfamiliar with the term.” Connor was confused.

“Then you haven’t lived yet.” Gavin explained.

“I’m confused.” Connor had his suspicions on what the term meant, but he’d learned not to assume anything.

Where the Detective was involved, at least.

“Look. All you have to do is-“ Gavin paused. “Fuck. These things are automated.”

“I’m still-“ Connor tried speaking.

“Can you…uh…hack it?” Gavin interrupted.

“Hack it?” Connor echoed.

“The shopping cart.” Gavin gestured to theirs.

“I am the most advanced prototype Cyberlife ever created.” Connor started. “And you’re requesting that I use my software to hack a…shopping cart.”

“…is that a no?” Gavin asked tentatively.

**Was it?**

“…no. I’ll do it.” Connor sighed.

“Knew I could count on you.” Gavin grinned, with a hint of that dimple returning.

“I’ll bring an empty one over.” Connor took advantage of the opportunity to walk away before his skin turned electric blue once more.

“Why not this-“ Gavin started.

“I don’t want caviar and cream cheese gelato leaking onto our groceries when the cart falls over.” Connor offered as an explanation.

“It won’t fall over.” Gavin frowned.

“Are you willing to take that chance? I’m not certain those flavours would pair well with-“ Connor started.

“Fuck. I get it.” Gavin interrupted once more.

“Good. Wait here, Gavin. I won’t be long.” Connor felt a surge of relief run through his wired systems.

“Sure.” Gavin shrugged.

“You’re not offering to-“ Connor started.

“Get to watch you leave, don’t I?” Gavin tilted his head slightly, before visibly cringing. “Connor, I didn’t-“

“I’m not complaining.” Connor quickly turned away.

Yes, even though the idea made his thirium pump skip a beat, he certainly wasn’t complaining.

Which he’d just said.

_Out loud._

“Shit.” Connor mumbled to himself as he sped away.

Quickly making his way across the store, willing himself not to glance back in Gavin’s general direction, Connor soon found himself by the small army of automated carts. He knew he likely shouldn’t be encouraging this sort of behaviour, much less participating, but he was admittedly intrigued to see the Detective’s idea come to fruition.

However ill-fated of an idea it was.

* * *

As soon as they walked all the way to the opposite end of the aisle, Connor started to regret his decision. Regret that instantly faded away when he saw the excitement on the Detective’s face. He couldn’t quite remember seeing such an expression on the man’s face. Not that Connor minded. It was a welcome change to the stoic, borderline cold and emotionless expression that normally warped people’s perception of Gavin.

A change that _certainly_ wasn’t committed to memory.

And stored alongside the most _vital_ experiences.

“Connor!” Gavin spoke up, interrupting his inner thoughts for the umpteenth time that day. “Come on!”

“I’m here.” Connor couldn’t help the smile that worked its way onto his face. “How do I-“

“I’ll go first.” Gavin interrupted.

“I thought the purpose of-“ Connor started.

“Got to show you how it’s done, dipshit.” Gavin moved closer to the cart.

“You seem to be taking this serious-“ Connor was surprised at the Detective’s enthusiasm.

“Connor.” Gavin interrupted once more.

“Alright.” Connor found himself struggling to hold back laughter, at the expression on Gavin’s face. “Alright.”

“Hold on.” Gavin rummaged around for his phone.

“What are you-“ Connor moved forward.

“Calling Chris.” Gavin shrugged, as he retrieved his phone.

“Why-“ Connor started.

“Should get him to join us.” Gavin began scrolling through his phone.

“Won’t he be on-“ Connor protested.

“He’ll drop whatever shit he’s doing, for this.” Gavin interrupted once again.

“What about our case?” Connor pursued.

“What about-“ Gavin paused for a moment to think, before visibly cringing. “Our cover.”

“We can’t afford to jeapordise it.” Connor reasoned.

“I-“ Gavin took a deep breath, before cursing. “Fuck. He’ll kill me if…no. Shit, you’re right.”

A moment passed in awkward silence, before the Detective spoke up once more.

“We could still do it. Two of us.” Gavin pointed out. “You could disable the cameras.”

“Which would be illegal, as neither of us has a warrant-“

“Five minutes.”

“Gavin-“

“Come on. Don’t know when we’ll next get to do shit like this.” Gavin interrupted. “Trust me, Connor.”

“I…” Connor stopped for a moment, before seeming to direct all his attention towards Gavin. “I trust you.”

Stunned, he watched as Gavin appeared to be swallowing back a wave of emotions, before momentarily looking away. Finding the sight of the man visibly struggling to reign in control of his emotions, Connor found himself speechless.

Had his words affected the Detective that much?

“Are you alright-“ Connor started.

“I’m good.” Gavin took a deep breath, before turning his gaze back to Connor, and allowing a dreamlike smile to make its way onto his face. “Let’s get shit done.”

“Alright.” Connor found himself smiling, in return.

A smile which only grew wider, when he saw that Gavin was rubbing his hands together, seemingly in great anticipation.

This was going to be…interesting.

* * *

After he finished the temporary sync between himself and the store security, and disabled the system, Connor observed Gavin rubbing his hands together- and smiling brighter than he’d ever seen him. He found himself smiling. Whilst some would call the man’s enthusiasm over something so juvenile childish, he found it oddly endearing. This was delving into the parts of the Detective that, until now, had remained a complete mystery.

Another piece of the puzzle that was Gavin Reed.

“Think you can record this?” Gavin interrupted his thoughts, as he climbed into the cart, and cautiously stood up.

“Why would you wish to document your own humiliation?”

“Why are you so sure it’ll be humiliating?”

“I’m able to predict-“

“Just let me have this, dipshit.”

“As you wish.”

Without any word of warning, Connor wirelessly connected to the shopping cart in an instant- and sent the Detective on his way.

“Holy shit-“ Gavin started, barely able to speak through a burst of laughter- somehow managing to remain upright.

When the man’s laughter only appeared to get louder and louder, Connor found himself laughing as well. There was something oddly endearing about it all, even though the entire idea was ill-advised.

So much so, that he couldn’t bring himself to stop it, even though his systems kept bringing up visualized predictions of how the situation could escalate.

So much so, that Connor found an idea making its way to the forefront of his mind.

“You may wish to sit down and hold on, Gavin.” Connor called out, prompting the man to quickly sit down.

“What the f-“ Gavin started.

Without even waiting for the rest of Gavin’s response, Connor focused on the connection between him and the odd software of the automated cart- and increased the speed.

Without gradually scaling it up.

Which meant that the cart, Detective, and all, went rocketing towards the end of the aisle at breakneck speed…

...and promptly tipped over.

Now acutely aware of how the basic software could become overwhelmed in an instant, Connor practically sprinted down the aisle, fear working its way into his system when he saw that Gavin was curled up on his side, and didn’t appear to be getting up.

Just as he was kneeling down, Connor found himself recoiling in shock- when the man suddenly burst into an incredibly loud fit of laughter.

As the Detective’s body practically convulsed with the force of it all, Connor found himself laughing. The entire situation was ridiculous and childish, to say the least. Something that Fowler would add to their disciplinary folders if he laid eyes on the entire display.

_But it was something Connor knew he’d be recalling fondly, especially in the difficult days he knew lay ahead of them._

“I should call security.” A female voice interrupted their moment. “Or the cops. Store policy.”

Looking over to the source, Connor saw one of the store’s workers standing nearby- clearly identified by the oddly luxurious uniform clothing her body.

“I’m sorry.“ Connor quickly spoke, trying to get Gavin to sit up. He couldn’t get them kicked out before Chris and Tina arrived. “That was-“

“Don’t worry.” The woman smiled slightly, all traces of anger disappearing from her face. “I think I can let you off the hook, just this once-“

“Thank you-“ Connor tried interjecting.

“-but only because you two make such a cute couple.” The woman smiled genuinely, as she finished speaking, unperturbed by his interruption.

Her words, which were the complete opposite reaction to the severe one they’d expected, were enough to make the two of them freeze in place, Gavin’s face quickly turning an interesting deep red.

It was by sheer force of will that a bright shade of blue didn’t take over Connor.

“We’re not-“ Gavin quickly refocused, though he still stumbled over his words.

“He’s not-“ Connor started.

“Oh my god.” The woman cringed. “I’m so sorry. It’s just…I was changing this display and I saw you two…I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Connor immediately reassured her, finding it increasingly difficult to control the iridescent blue threatening to overtake his face. “We were-“

“I’ll just…see myself out. Away. I’ll just…I’m going to go.” The woman stuttered.

Before he could apologise further for the disturbance, or offer some kind of reassurance, the woman ran off. Leaving Connor, awkwardly kneeling, and Gavin-still half sprawled on the ground.

“Should cut that part out.” Gavin spoke awkwardly. “Stop Chris and Tina from seeing it.”

“I agree.” Connor cleared his throat, before offering a hand in the Detective’s direction.

When Gavin took it, awkwardly glancing away as he did so, Connor helped him up, silently scanning his partner for injuries. Which, thankfully, were nothing more than a few superficial bruises.

As his focus turned from his software, and back into reality, Connor found his artificial breaths catching in his throat when the Detective stood up to his full height, and their faces grew closer together. So close together, that if he titled his head ever so slightly, they’d be…

_Too close._

As much as he’d pictured the multiple outcomes of a scenario such as this, involving Gavin, Connor knew he had to back away. They had a case to solve, and they couldn’t afford for emotions to cloud their judgement.

But it would be so easy to just..._lean forward, dip his head, and press their lips together_.

Ashamedly, Connor began to wonder whether the Detective’s lips were as soft as they appeared. And how skilled the man could be with his tongue.

Thoughts that he knew were extremely inappropriate.

But thoughts he’d found his mind drifting to, nonetheless.

“Connor?” Gavin broke the silence hesitantly, expression a mixture of hurt and confusion as he slowly sat up.

“I don’t detect any injuries.” Connor steered the focus away from himself.

Away from just how close they were.

Though it was harder than he’d ever be able to admit.

_You have a case to solve._

With those words whirring round in the back of his mind, Connor forced himself to focus. They had a long and arduous journey ahead of them, after all.

He **couldn’t** afford to let his emotions cloud his judgement.

But he also didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize their still tender, newly redefined relationship.

“Are you alright?” Connor asked, lowering his voice to avoid drawing further attention.

“I’m fine.” Gavin awkwardly turned away for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing. “No thanks to you.”

“I shouldn’t have-“ Connor started, alarmed by the sudden shift in the man’s tone of voice.

“I’m just fucking with you, dipshit.”

Finding his systems becoming overwhelmed by the sheer relief from the return of a familiar quip, Connor found himself bursting out into a fit of laughter- taking Gavin by surprise, if the wide eyes and hand on the chest was any indication.

It didn’t take long, however, before the Detective was joining him, their voices mixing together in loud, unashamed laughter- the ridiculous motions providing an odd catharsis for all the tension that had built up over the past few hours.

As Gavin threw his head back, clutching his side as he became almost bent double from stitches, Connor found himself distracted once more.

Not letting his emotions cloud his judgement would prove more difficult than he’d ever have imagined.

“We should…” Gavin gasped for breath, forcing himself to sit up straight. “We should go.”

“Perhaps it’s for the best.”

“The hell does that mean?”

“My turn at cart surfing would only have magnified your own failure.”

“You- it wasn’t even my fault!”

“That was something I believe humans call sarcasm.”

“I know that, smartass.”

Deciding to let the smile remain on his face, Connor slowly rose to his feet- before bending down slightly to offer both of his hands towards Gavin. Visibly surprised by the gesture, the Detective hesitated. Just long enough that Connor’s thirium pump skipped a beat, before pressing their palms together…and interlocking their fingers.

Finding himself stunned into silence, Connor forced himself to refocus for the umpteenth time that day. Which was difficult, given how he and Gavin were even closer together when the Detective stood to his full height.

_You have a case to solve._

With those words echoing in his mind once more, Connor battled against the conflict waging within the depths of his processors. Fought against the growing desire to seize Gavin by the collar of his jacket, and close the sliver of distance that remained between them.

** _You.have.a.case.to.solve._ **

Taking a deep breath, despite knowing the motion was ultimately an empty gesture, Connor somehow found the strength to ignore all the messages cropping up in the corners of his vision. Somehow found the strength to push the numerous simulations of their current paths’ outcome out of his mind, and step back from Gavin.

Once there was a sufficient amount of space between them, but not enough to cause the Detective any concern, Connor gestured towards the upturned cart sitting less than a foot away.

“We shouldn’t cause any more trouble.” Connor spoke up, heading towards the cart.

“Let me help.” Gavin headed over, moving opposite.

“I’m capable of-“ Connor started.

“Let me help, Connor.”

“…alright.”

Once the cart was in an upright position once more, Connor made to push it back to where he’d retrieved it from- only to have Gavin place a hand on his shoulder. The sudden contact surprised Connor…but it wasn’t unwelcomed…or unpleasant.

“I’ll take it back.” Gavin offered in way of explanation.

“Are you sure?” Connor frowned slightly- noticing the hint of a smirk on the Detective’s face.

“Got to watch you walk off earlier.” Gavin stepped closer, hand remaining on Connor’s shoulder as he leaned in. “Just returning the favour.”

Feeling all the thirium rush to his face, both at the man’s words and the incredibly attractive huskiness to his lowered voice, Connor found himself unable to form the words of a reply. How was he supposed to function after that, especially when Gavin had whispered the words in his ear? It was unashamed, outright **flirting**.

_Was Gavin **into** him?_

No, he couldn’t be.

This was just him messing around, getting Connor back for the inappropriate joke the android had made earlier.

_…wasn’t it?_

With a dozen thoughts threatening to overwhelm his processors, Connor found himself still unable to form word. Even with all the words and technology at his disposal, he couldn’t think of a response. Not a single phrase. How was he supposed to take that?

When Gavin began pushing the formerly overturned cart back down the aisle, he drew Connor’s attention with the gentle, subtle way his hand slipped off of the androids shoulder- rendering him speechless once again. Watching in disbelief as the Detective walked away, pointedly not turning back to look at him, Connor was unable to help himself. As his eyes roamed Gavin’s back, memories of the intimate glimpse he’d had of the man’s tattooed muscles came back to him. The way the Detective’s back seemed almost sculpted was devilishly enticing, and so despite telling himself it would only shift his focus, Connor let his eyes drift lower.

As he focused on Gavin’s sculpted rear, he felt more thirium rush into his face, if that were even possible.

All the mental strength he’d built up started ebbing away.

_You have a case to solve._

Don’t let your emotions cloud your judgement.

He’d said those words to himself several times, and only a few moments ago. When it truly hit him that those words were certainly easier said than done, Connor forced himself tear his eyes away from Gavin, to take a few deep breaths. Which, in and of itself, wasn’t easy, for the odd ache in his chest had returned.

_How was he supposed to focus?_

Knowing he’d have to figure it out soon enough, before he fell too deep and his emotions put the nature of their new relationship at risk, Connor felt his thirium pump skip more than a few beats, magnifying the unidentifiable ache in his chest.

Focus.

_Focus._

** _Focus._ **

“Enjoy the view?” Gavin’s voice echoed in his head.

Startling out of his thoughts, Connor let his eyes move upwards once more- only to discover that the Detective had swiftly returned, and was standing a mere few feet away. With a familiar, almost cocky smirk still on his face. Albeit one paired with a weakening red blush on the man’s face.

“I…” Connor paused.

He knew he had to focus, but he also didn’t want to hurt the Detective’s feelings…no matter what those were. What he came up with was perhaps not the wisest words, given the mantra of focus that he was repeating in the depths of his mind, but he was running out of time to respond- Gavin’s smile was starting to drop…ever so slightly. Taking a deep breath, focusing on the man’s eyes and nothing else, he finally gathered the courage to speak.

“I don’t believe I’ve observed a better view.” Connor willed his tone to stay level.

“Well-“ Gavin cleared his throat, as his face went scarlet, clearly not having anticipated such a genuine response. “I, uh…fuck.”

“Are you-“ Connor started, concerned.

“I’m good.” Gavin took several deep breaths.

When their eyes locked together, Connor found himself drawn in, against all reason. Against the infinite reel of the word focus repeating in his mind.

_How could he **not** be drawn in?_

“We should continue…” Connor snapped himself out of his mind’s processors for once.

Not that it was easy. It was, in fact, one of the most difficult things he’d ever done- pushing his feelings and emotions as far back into his processors as they could go.

“Continue…” Gavin tilted his head slightly, drawing Connor’s attention

“With our task.” Connor hoped he sounded more confident than he felt.

“Yeah-“ Gavin glanced away awkwardly. “Should…do that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that concludes chapter 3 of this gargantuan Part of Love In Literature! I hope you all enjoyed it! I'll be back as soon as I can with more! If you feel this part ended weird, its because I was originally going to add even more to this update- but stopped as I didn't want to burn myself out.
> 
> The stuff I was going to include will come as another part, ASAP. It'll be kind of filler-ish, mainly fun and fluff, kind of like Part 4: Tension.
> 
> Before you go, though, I want to thank you all again for the continued support.
> 
> Were it not for you, I wouldn't still be writing this series.
> 
> And we certainly wouldn't be 6 parts in.
> 
> So...thank you <3


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